He said the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill, to be tabled in July, was necessary for this to happen.

The Act will not only cover the ban on sales of cigarettes and smoking products but also include targeted advertising on social media, said Khairy.

He said at the Generational End Game (GEG) Anti-Rokok 18 (Gegar-18) event that the health ministry would be meeting with the relevant enforcement agencies, such as customs and the police, to ensure efforts are executed consistently.

“The health ministry will meet with enforcement agencies, including the customs department and the police. We need to execute this at once, so as to implement harsher punishment and enforcement.

“If not, we will not be able to enforce it. We will also make sure the enforcement agencies are involved as we launch the war on illegal cigarettes.”

The Gegar-18 five-year plan aims to help the GEG children to be well-protected from all sorts of possible smoking habits.

The proposed bill bans sales and ownership of cigarettes and smoking products (e-cigarettes and vapes) to anyone born in the year 2005 and after.