M'sian foreign minister caught smoking in no-smoking area, will be fined

Malaysia’s foreign minister Mohamad Hasan will be fined after he was pictured holding a lit cigarette while at an eatery in a no-smoking zone.

Teatime in Rantau

Mohamad, who is also known by his moniker “Tok Mat”, shared in a pair of social media posts that he had visited a farm on Dec. 15, 2024  and later stopped in his hometown of Rantau.

Mohamad is the Rantau constituency's member of parliament.

While there, he met with some friends at a 24-hour eatery, and pictures showed the five men drinking tea and having a  conversation.

Unfortunately for Tok Mat, the foreign minister was caught partaking in a cigarette while at the eatery, something that is expressly forbidden by the Malaysian government.

The picture was published by the X account @msianinciter, along with an infographic by the health ministry showing the list of 28 categories of places where smoking was not allowed, including the airport, the gym, and restaurants.

Ingatkan kedai makan adalah kawasan larangan merokok. Tapi Menteri Luar Negeri balik kawasan berasap di kedai makan rilek je @DrDzul @KKMPutrajaya.

Lokasi: Pekan Rantau pic.twitter.com/taVuJR5os5

— inciter (@MsianInciter) December 15, 2024

The account also tagged Mohamad’s colleague, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad, as well as the health ministry as a whole.

The caption read: “I thought eateries were no-smoking zones? But the Foreign Affairs Minister is smoking and relaxing.”

No one above the law

Dzulkefly responded with a social media post on Dec. 16, saying that in accordance with Act 852, the act the infographic referenced, “no one was above the law”.

Salam Madani Semua 🌹🇲🇾

Setelah Akta 852 (Akta Kawalan Produk Merokok Demi Kesihatan Awan, 2024) berkuatkuasa pada 1 October yg lalu, saya berpegang kpd prinsip bahawa ‘Tiada siapa yg bolih mengatasi undang. (No one is above the Law). https://t.co/FtxNFMQRFp

— Dzulkefly Ahmad (@DrDzul) December 16, 2024

The post also quoted the initial post, indicating that he was responding to the callout.

On Dec. 18, Dzulkefly posted again, saying that a District Health Officer would meet with Mohamad to issue him a compound, essentially a fine, for the offence.

Salam Madani Semua 🌹🇲🇾

Setelah Akta 852 (Akta Kawalan Produk Merokok Demi Kesihatan Awan, 2024) berkuatkuasa pada 1 October yg lalu, saya berpegang kpd prinsip bahawa ‘Tiada siapa yg bolih mengatasi undang. (No one is above the Law). https://t.co/FtxNFMQRFp

— Dzulkefly Ahmad (@DrDzul) December 16, 2024

He also said that Mohamad had asked the Malaysian health ministry to issue him the compound, with the foreign minister assuring the health minister that he would pay for the offence.

Not fined too much, hopefully

This was confirmed when the New Straits Times reported that Mohamad had apologised at a press conference.

Mohamad apologised for smoking in a prohibited area, saying that he would pay the compound issued against him by the Seremban district health office.

He said that if his actions had “caused concern and become an issue for the public”, he “sincerely apologised”.

He then revealed that the compound notice would be issued to the Attorney General’s Chambers who would determine how much he would be fined.

The Star quoted him as saying that he would pay the fine, but he hoped “it will not be too high.”

Top image via @MsianInciter/x & Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan/Facebook