The Malaysian Indian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) has proposed that all "mamak" restaurants across the country stop selling cigarettes. This initiative comes as part of the association's push for a healthier dining environment and to align with halal practices.

According to Presma President, Jawahar Ali Taib Khan, approximately 40% of the 12,000 eateries under the association have already ceased selling tobacco products. He highlighted this shift as a positive development for the food industry.

"We've just seen the health minister handing a letter of appreciation to a restaurant in Puncak Alam for not selling cigarettes. I believe that this is a good direction to head towards," Jawahar said in a statement reported by Astro Awani.

He also emphasized that for restaurants striving to maintain full halal compliance, curbing smoking on their premises should be the next step in fostering a healthier and more family-friendly atmosphere. "If possible, for these restaurants, if we want everything to be halal, we should also curb smoking in the near future," he added.

However, Jawahar expressed concerns about the legal provisions that currently hold restaurant operators responsible for stopping patrons from smoking on their premises. He explained that it is challenging for operators to enforce smoking bans, as they have limited legal authority over customers.

Jawahar said it was difficult for operators to order patrons not to smoke at their restaurants as they have limited legal authority.

Despite these concerns, he expressed relief that Presma had successfully communicated their views to the health minister and his team. Jawahar remains optimistic that a solution will be reached that balances health concerns with the practical challenges faced by restaurant operators.

"I think officers keeping an eye on eateries should be given some discretion when issuing penalties to operators," he said, indicating the need for more flexible enforcement of smoking bans in eateries.

As Presma continues to push for smoke-free dining environments, the proposal to stop cigarette sales at all mamak restaurants represents a significant step towards healthier, family-oriented dining in Malaysia.