The Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) has called for an independent public inquiry into claims that former health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa was offered RM50 million to scrap the tobacco generational end game (GEG) policy.
MCTC said the inquiry should examine who made the offer, the channels used, why no report was filed at the time, and the extent of industry involvement in influencing the bill.
It also called for the findings to be made public in the interest of transparency and accountability.
“Although it was claimed that the offer was rejected, the disclosure raises grave concerns regarding the rule of law, public sector integrity, and the legal duties of public office holders,” it said in a statement today.
“Any attempt to offer financial inducements to influence the content of legislation constitutes an act of bribery, a serious criminal offence under Malaysian law.”
MCTC said the allegation supported earlier reports that vape industry representatives had approached MPs to drop the GEG clause, pointing to a “systematic and organised pattern of industry interference” in public health policy.
“This is no longer a matter of perception, but a clear public interest issue warranting urgent, transparent investigation,” it added.
MCTC said the developments also underscored the need for structural reforms, including the enactment of a Political Financing Act to ensure transparency and prohibit funding from industries whose interests conflict with public health.
It urged the government to adopt a code of conduct in line with Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to protect policy-making from interference from the tobacco and vape industries.
“Failure to act decisively would send a dangerous message that industry interference and attempted bribery can occur without consequence,” it warned.
Zaliha served as health minister from December 2022 to December 2023.
In a Facebook post last week, her then aide G Sivamalar claimed that Zaliha was once offered RM50 million to drop the GEG policy but that the former minister rejected the proposition without hesitation.
She later told health news portal CodeBlue that Zaliha did not lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission or police at the time as they “didn’t want to waste time”.
The Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill initially contained the GEG components that sought to ban smoking and vaping for those born after 2007.
The GEG policy was scrapped following a collective decision by Putrajaya.
Dzulkefly Ahmad, who took over the health portfolio, said the decision was made in view of the attorney-general’s opinion that the provision was unconstitutional.
