Malaysia Foreign Minister to be fined for smoking in prohibited area
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Malaysia Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan was photographed holding a cigarette while at an eatery.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PETALING JAYA - Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan will be issued a notice and fined for smoking in a prohibited area.
In a post on X on Dec 18, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said: “The Foreign Minister’s office has been informed of this matter.
“Honestly, Mohamad himself requested that the Health Ministry issue a fine for the offence and he told me that the fine will be paid.”
Speaking at a press conference on Dec 18, Datuk Seri Mohamad said he received a notice that morning from the Seremban District Health Office, but had yet to get the amount of the fine.
“If it has become a concern and an issue among the public, I would like to sincerely tender my apology,” he said.
“I will pay the fine and I hope it will not be too high.”
On Dec 17, a photo went viral showing an individual believed to be Mr Mohamad, also known as Tok Mat, holding a cigarette while in the company of a group of men at an eatery.
The account owner also shared a poster listing 28 designated non-smoking areas as stipulated by the Health Ministry
Datuk Seri Dzulkefly clarified that his ministry upholds the principle that no one is above the law.
“Since the enforcement of Act 852 (the Smoking Products Control for Public Health Act, 2024) on Oct 1, I remain firm on this principle,” he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
