Page 87 - ANUAL REPORT MOH 2017

Table 12
Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004

Compound paid for offences
Year Offences identified Compound issued
(RM)
2013 31,255 17,263 1,729,898.00

2014 35,757 17,451 1,892,555.00
2015 34,778 19,198 2,041,698.00
2016 40,965 19,393 2,139,661.00
2017 45,799 23,531 2,511,621.00

Source: Public health Development Division, MoH

Sale of illicit cigarettes has been the main emphasis of the Ministry of Health in recent years. In the
Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, any cigarettes sold without price approval from the
Ministry of Health is considered as an illicit cigarette. The sale of cigarettes without ministry approval
is carried out secretly by sellers and in many cases, it was difficult to apprehend the culprits involved
in this activity. Efforts are still ongoing to curb this activity including by conducting joint operations with
other enforcement agencies such as Customs Department etc.

Public Health Enforcement is a challenging area of work. Often there are reports of authorized officers
receiving threats from offenders. In some cases, officers were threatened by armed offenders. Almost all
the offence under public health law is not amounting to a warrant case. Police officers must be alerted
to arrest offenders and this will consume a lot of enforcement officers time of work. Time lost in handling
certain heated situations may bring down the number of offences detected during enforcement activities.

DISEASE CONTROL DIVISION

Malaysia has achieved considerable success in eradicating, eliminating or reducing specific infectious
diseases over time. A shift in disease pattern from communicable to non-communicable diseases tends
to occur as nation progresses from a developing to a developed status. To provide comprehensive health
service for a wider community reach, this programme had gone through several evolution processes
and has expanded dramatically. The Diseases Control activities in Malaysia had been initiated through
specific programmes since 1961. The Epidemiology Unit was later established in 1971 under the Health
Services Department. As part of the intended restructuring process, the existing Epidemiology Unit
was reorganized and expanded in 1991. This transformation established the Disease Control Disease
Division (DCD).

The main objective of the Disease Control Division is to reduce the occurrence of diseases and death
due to communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as environment-related diseases, so
that they will no longer pose a threat to public health. The other objectives include:
i. To encourage a healthy lifestyle; a healthy, safe and hygienic work environment and workplace;
suitable preventive measures; immediate detection and treatment; continuous monitoring and
suitable rehabilitation services.
ii. To encourage the participation of civil society and cooperation among agencies/sector to build a
healthy and caring society.

86 ANNUAL REPORT 2017 MINISTRY OF HEALTH MALAYSIA