KUALA LUMPUR – Before outlawing smoking and vaping for future generations, the Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia (PPIM) implores the government to apply the Generational End Game (GEG) for alcohol and gambling. The same justification should be used to apply GEG on sugary drinks and “fast food,” according to PPIM, for the sake of the public’s health.
According to PPIM chief activist Nadzim Johan@toqqi, as an Islamic country, alcohol and gambling should be the first to be banned as this is forbidden in Islam.
As an entity that fights for Muslim consumers in Malaysia, PPIM also wants to see the future generation, especially Muslims, not knowing what alcohol and gambling are.
“We are an Islamic country. Gambling, nightclubs, massage parlours, alcohol and so on should not exist in our country. The government should ban these first. We know that all of these are forbidden in Islam, but they still exist in this country.
Nadzim said the Ministry of Health is trying to make Malaysia the first country in the world to implement GEG by prohibiting those born after 2007 from buying, owning and smoking cigarettes or vape.
However, it is awkward for a country where the majority of the Muslim population bans cigarettes and vaping but does not ban alcohol and gambling.
“We should ban all of these from future generations. If it is prohibited according to civil law through policies like this GEG, our country can truly be a Muslim country respected by the world.”
“If the Government implements GEG for alcohol, gambling, nightclubs and so on, I am sure many Malaysians will support it regardless of race and religion,” he said.
Nadzim also added that the government’s primary purpose in implementing GEG is to improve people’s quality of life by reducing smoking-related diseases and the country’s health costs.
He said the same argument should also be used for diseases related to bad habits such as sugary drinks and fast food.
“The Minister of Health cannot be partial and only focus on cigarettes and vaping. Malaysia has the highest rate of obesity and diabetes in South East Asia. This is due to sugary drinks and fast food and diseases related to this also cause high costs to the Government,” he said.
Based on the Ministry of Health Malaysia report, which is the National Survey Health and Morbidity (NHMS) 20219, there are 3.9 million Malaysians with diabetes. This rate has increased from 13.4% in 2015 to 18.3% in 2019. This means that among 5 people, there is one person who has diabetes. This rate is among the highest in Asia and the world.
“The Minister of Health needs to focus on this matter, too, not only on cigarettes and vape matters. GEG should also be used for fast food and sugary drinks based on the same argument, which is for the health of the people and future generations,” he concluded.
For any enquiries, please contact PPIM’s Media Hotline Unit at +60136116666 (Adi). Thank You.
