Sashidaran Gunathevan
Malaysian singer-songwriter Noh Salleh received criticism for walking with an unlit cigarette during the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2022 show.
Noh, the lead singer for the rock group Hujan, appeared as one of the models walking for streetwear brand Super Sunday, with which he collaborated for his brand Hikari Riders.
Apart from Noh, first time an unlit cigarette was brought up on the runway by SuperSunday was at the KLFW in 2018.
However, the video of Noh went viral earlier this week, prompting Health Ministery director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to chime in.
Dr Noor Hisham said that the health ministry seriously views artists smoking and vaping in the public sphere.
This is not how you set a good example for the public, especially for youths and children, wrote Noor Hisham on Twitter.
The health ministry is asking the public, including artists and celebrities, to help these efforts and ensure smoking will be a culture which Malaysians will not accept any more.
Dr Noor Hisham also said celebrity’s actions and habits are constantly watched and imitated by society. They have a responsibility to set a good example for the public.
Recently, the government has embarked on a plan to ban the use, possession and sale of cigarettes and vape products for those born after 2007.
Following this, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin tabled the Tobacco Product and Smoking Control Bill 2022 for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat last month.
It aims to prevent the young generation from picking up smoking habits and reduce deaths caused by smoking-related diseases.
Recently, the netizens criticised Noh for vaping during an interview with the media.
However, the recent event received a mixed reaction from the netizens. Some were supportive of the walk, and some were opposed as it is setting a bad example for younger generations.
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