Anti-smoking campaign kicks off in Sabah

KUNAK, July 27 (Bernama) -- Sixty premises including eateries in Sabah have been awarded the ‘Blue Ribbon’ introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to recognise and acknowledge people and organisations that helped to raise awareness on the health hazards of tobacco and second-hand smoke.

Sabah Health and People’s Wellbeing Assistant Minister Norazlinah Arif said the cooperation of all parties not only government agencies but also the private sector have to reject the smoking culture in order for the country to move towards creating a non-smoking generation.

She commended Kunak Refinery Sdn Bhd here for being awarded the Blue Ribbon consecutively since last year, describing the company which bans its workforce from smoking, as a model organisation in helping the government to eliminate the unhealthy culture.

“The award also shows the employer’s concern for the health of its workers,” she said while launching the state-level anti-smoking week here today.

State Health director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi said based on health statistics, 2.3 million people are exposed to second-hand smoke at the workplace, 7.6 million at home and 8.6 million at restaurants. 

In another development, Norazlinah who is also Kunak assemblyman said the death of the six-year-old girl who fell off a faulty suspension bridge at Kampung Porotawai, Tongod on Tuesday should serve as a lesson particularly to the community leaders.

She said Village Community Management Council members for instance, should look at the tragedy as a reflection of their leadership diligence and learn to be more alert of conditions and situations relating to the wellbeing of their community.     

"In this regard, they must be more active in going round to ensure that the villages and public facilities are constantly in good condition.

"Any faulty facility should be reported to the assemblyman or take some action to resolve the problem,” she told reporters.

On Tuesday around noon, a preschooler, Angelliena Juilan and a group of friends were heading home when she fell into the river while they were crossing the suspension bridge. 

She was later confirmed to have died of drowning.

-- BERNAMA​​