Tak nak?

Déjà vu from Formula 1?

Is Pak Lah's government sucumbbing to the lobbying by tobacco companies?

With the rapid increase in the number of smokers among school children and women, this decision is some what disappointing. What do you think?

Some excerpts from the Star today...

Cigarettes in packs of 14 will still be in the market until 2010, following a Cabinet decision to defer the ban on the sales of such packs.

Announcing this, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the decision was made in the interest of the 13,000 tobacco farmers in Terengganu and Kelantan.

The decision to ban packs of 10 cigarettes from next year, however, remains.

The Government had originally decided last year to limit the sale of cigarettes to packs of 20s from next June.

Dr Chua also admitted that the Tak Nak anti-smoking campaign launched early last year had not been effective.

“We are launching a new Tak Nak campaign, which will be featured more on television and involve NGOs. There will be no more billboards.”

Meanwhile, anti-smoking groups are crying foul over the Cabinet's decision to defer the ban on cigarettes in packs of 14.

Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations secretary-general Mohammad Sha'ani Abdullah said the decision made a mockery of the Tak Nak anti-smoking campaign.

Using “farmers' interest” as the reason for the deferment was a lame excuse, he said, accusing the Government of succumbing to the lobbying of tobacco companies.