KUALA LUMPUR - Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar has voiced his concerns about the rampant sales of vapes without control in Malaysia, so much so that it attracted the interest of international media to produce a special report on the issue.
The former Rembau MP expressed this view in a Twitter post on Monday following a special report by Al Jazeera titled 101 East, which showcased that vapes are easily bought by children below 18 years old.
He said Malaysia seems as if it has entered the era of the 'Wild Wild West' after the sale of nicotine was allegedly not regulated by law.
"Yes, there were enforcement issues before, but we regularly acted against vape sales, especially to minors, and vape products could not be advertised.
"Now it’s the Wild West in Malaysia. There is no enforcement because there is no law against vape. I’m sorry it’s come to this," he said.
In the investigative report, the Al Jazeera crew reportedly visited six vape shops in the capital city.
The report said that none of the shops asked for an ID card for age verification, despite the notice displaying that the material could only be purchased by those aged 18 and over. - Awani