The Malaysian Health Ministry has launched “Ops Selamat PaPa,” a major national enforcement operation targeting the manufacturing, distribution, and online promotion of vaping and smoking products. This decisive action, announced on June 1, comes in response to rising public complaints regarding illegal online vape advertisements that violate the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852).
To curb the digital spread of e-cigarette marketing, the ministry has actively monitored social media and web platforms. Following recent investigations into ten suspicious websites, health authorities partnered with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block four platforms under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, while the remaining six sites remain under active investigation.
The online crackdown is part of a broader, highly aggressive physical enforcement campaign. As of April 30, Malaysia’s health authorities have executed:
- 34,903 enforcement operations nationwide.
- 683,704 premises inspected to ensure compliance with tobacco laws.
- 233,831 compounds issued for minor, compoundable offences.
- 4,226 investigations initiated for serious, non-compoundable violations.
The ministry is also pursuing offenders through the judicial system. Currently, there are 398 ongoing court cases, while 204 cases have already been resolved, resulting in total fines of nearly RM1.2 million (approximately S$387,000).
Health officials reiterated their zero-tolerance policy toward illegal tobacco advertising, emphasizing that the primary goal of Act 852 is to protect the younger generation from nicotine addiction. The ministry urged the public to continue reporting non-compliant online vendors to assist in ongoing monitoring efforts.
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