The Magistrate’s Court in Kuching yesterday fined four men RM2,500 each, or three months’ imprisonment if unpaid, after they pleaded guilty to smoking in a prohibited area at Kuching International Airport (KIA) last June.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan handed down the fines under Section 16(2) of the Control of Tobacco Products for Public Health Act 2024, read with Section 16(3), which carries a maximum penalty of RM5,000.
The offences were detected during Ops Rokok, an enforcement operation conducted by the Kuching Health Office around KIA and the Petra Jaya area. The men had initially been issued notices and given two months to pay the compounds, but their failure to do so led to court proceedings.
Prosecuting officer Mohd Fairos Ibrahim from the Inspection and Legal Unit of the Kuching Health Office urged the court to impose penalties as a deterrent, highlighting the importance of adhering to no-smoking zones for public health.
In separate cases on the same day, a man was fined RM3,000 for smoking in a prohibited area at a restaurant, while another was fined RM2,500 for smoking in a no-smoking zone at KIA in February last year. The latter was charged under Regulation 11(1) of the Tobacco Product Control Regulations 2004, which allows a maximum fine of RM10,000.
The court’s actions underscore ongoing efforts to enforce smoking restrictions and protect public health at both airports and public spaces.
