KUCHING: A man was jailed for two months after failing to pay a RM3,000 fine, while three other men were each fined the same amount by the Magistrate’s Court here on Monday (Jul 27) after pleading guilty to smoking in prohibited areas at eateries around Kuching.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan imposed the sentences on the four accused, aged between 25 and 54, after they admitted to the charges when they were read to them.
The first accused, 42, committed the offence in August 2025 and was fined RM3,000, in default two months’ imprisonment.
As he failed to pay the fine, he was committed to Puncak Borneo Prison to serve the two-month jail term.
The second accused, 25, who also committed the offence in August 2025, was similarly fined RM3,000, in default two months’ imprisonment.
The third accused, 30, committed the same offence in February 2026 and received the same sentence of a RM3,000 fine, in default two months’ imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the fourth accused, 54, who committed the offence in April 2026, was also fined RM3,000, in default two months’ imprisonment.
All four were charged under Section 16(2) of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, read together with Section 16(3) of the same Act, which provides for a fine of up to RM5,000.
According to the facts of the case, the offences were detected during an Ops Rokok enforcement operation conducted by the Kuching Divisional Health Office Enforcement Team at several eateries around Kuching.
The court was told that all four accused had previously been issued notices of offence and were given the opportunity to settle the compounds at any Health Office.
However, they failed to turn up or pay the compounds within the stipulated period, resulting in the cases being brought before the court for further action.
During the proceedings, Kuching Divisional Health Office Inspectorate and Legal Unit prosecuting officer Mohd Fairos Ibrahim urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence to serve as a deterrent and to remind the public not to take lightly the laws and regulations prohibiting smoking in gazetted public places.
He added that enforcement of the Act is not intended to inconvenience the public but to protect the community from the harmful effects of cigarette smoke, particularly non-smokers and children.
