The ministry said the offender, who serves at the Gombak health office, will also face internal disciplinary action.

“The ministry takes this matter seriously as food premises are one of the 28 areas gazetted as being smoke-free.

“As the lead agency for public health, the ministry will not compromise with staff who fail to comply with the law.”

The ministry said it is committed to enforcing regulations firmly, fairly and consistently to protect the public from exposure to cigarette smoke.

It added that compliance with the smoking ban is needed to ensure a clean, healthy and safe environment for all.

The ministry also urged the public to report violations of the smoking ban through its official channels.

Meanwhile, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad thanked the netizen who reported the incident.

In a post on X, he said no one is above the law, including his ministry’s staff. He said they should be role models to the community.