Extension of Smoking Prohibition Zone to Cover Five-metre Radius of Playgrounds or Exercise Areas

15 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry will consider extending the smoking prohibition at any playground or exercise area to also include any area within a radius of 5 metres from the outer edge of the playground or exercise area.

The Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources): My Ministry's long-term goal is to prohibit smoking in all public places to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Smoking is already prohibited in more than 32,000 premises, including shopping malls, hospitals, schools, bus-stops, covered walkways and common areas of residential premises or buildings. Playgrounds and exercise areas are also places where smoking is currently prohibited. To protect users of such facilities against second-hand smoke, the smoking prohibition is applicable to any sidewalk, chair, bench or amenity adjacent to the playground or exercise area.

My Ministry will take into account the Member's suggestion to include any area within a radius of five metres from the outer edge of the playground or exercise areas when extending the smoking prohibition in future.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply, but I think a lot of residents have provided feedback that while we have extended the prohibition to cover also the sidewalks, chairs and benches, it really is a grey area because a lot of people are smoking on the grass patch which we are not sure whether that is legal or illegal. Which is why I hope that the review will consider making it just a five-metre radius from the outer perimeter of the exercise area or the playground. Considering as well that these are areas where people are exercising and our children are playing, we really should not have second-hand smoke.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: As mentioned in my earlier reply, we will take into account the Member's suggestion to extend the smoking prohibited area to within a five-metre radius from the outer edge of the playground and exercise areas. There are jurisdictions in other countries that have implemented this. As I have noted earlier, the smoking prohibited areas have been extended to all sidewalks and these areas could already be well within the suggested five-metre radius.

At the end of the day, all stakeholders have to play their part and exercise civic-mindedness and social responsibility. I would like to urge all smokers not to smoke near the playgrounds and smoking prohibited areas. Should there be actual cases, perhaps a gentle and polite reminder asking the smoker to move away may well do the trick.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: May I just check when this review is going to take place?

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: We are monitoring and also looking into an extension of some of these smoking areas. So, as soon as we have made the decision, we will make the announcements.