MalayMail/Bernama-Dec 31
In less than 24 hours, not only will the calendar change, but Malaysia will also witness the implementation of several important developments that will directly and indirectly affect personal and national lives. In addition to changes in geopolitical, economic, social, and international relations, several new policies and regulations will come into effect tomorrow. Thus the people are kept informed on what will happen to avoid missing out on important information. Among them, tomorrow Malaysia will officially take over as the ASEAN Chairmanship, after Laos handed over the responsibility during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Vientiane on Oct 11. Under the theme of ‘Inclusion and Sustainability’, Malaysia will host over 300 ASEAN meetings and summits throughout the year, including the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat in Johor (February), the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Post-Ministerial Conference (AMM/PMC) in Kuala Lumpur (July), and the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October. Malaysia previously chaired ASEAN in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015. In addition, several new laws will come into effect tomorrow including the enforcement of the Content Application Service Provider (CASP) Licence which requires social media platforms to register for a licence with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). This requirement, under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), aims to improve online safety, protect users, especially children and vulnerable groups, and strengthen regulation over Internet messaging service providers and social media. Starting tomorrow, laundry shops and workplace buildings are listed as no-smoking areas following the enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) on Oct 1.
This brings the total number of areas gazetted as no-smoking areas to 28, including hospitals, clinics, public lifts or toilets, eateries, air-conditioned shops, airports, government premises, educational institutions, childcare areas, shopping complexes, petrol stations, libraries, stadiums and more.
Individuals found guilty of smoking or using smoking products in the no-smoking areas will be fined a maximum of RM5,000. Read more at:
