175 compounds issued for smoking in prohibited areas

KOTA KINABALU - Not knowing that the airport is a no-smoking area and that shop owners are not preventing customers from smoking are among the excuses given by people when they were slapped with compound notices during an Integrated Mega Operation carried out in Sabah on Wednesday night.

Sabah State Health Department (JKNS) Public Health Sector Head of Inspectorate and State Legislation Ramash Rasnan said a total of 175 notices and compounds were issued throughout the operation.

"In the operation, a total of 856 premises were inspected and the result of the inspection led to a total of 175 compounds being issued.

"Among the premises inspected were restaurants where a total of 103 compounds had been issued, the airport involving 40 notices, a shopping centre (eight notices) and several other premises," he said in a statement, today.

He also said that the inspection also found that some premises' owners failed to display smoking ban signs at the premises, vehicles or buildings.

"There were individuals who gave reasons that the owner of the premises did not prohibit them from smoking and there were also those who ignored the prohibition when they were inside the premises where smoking was not allowed.

"For those who were issued with a compound in the airport area,they claimed that they did not know that the area was a no-smoking area," he said.

He also said those who fail to pay the compound worth RM250, could be hauled to court and fined RM10,000 and two years in prison.