KUCHING: More than 50 delegates from 10 countries comprising of Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Timor Leste and Vietnam congregated in Singapore from 4 to 5 September recently attending the Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Tobacco Control (AP-CAT).
AP-CAT is a network of Mayors and Subnational leaders, established in November 2016, united by their shared vision to create tobacco free environments.
Among its objectives are to make and implement a comprehensive tobacco control policy and to create local innovations and solutions to prevent non-communicable diseases. In the meeting, it was highlighted that tobacco kills 6 million people each year with 600,000 deaths contributed by second hand smoke (WHO Report on Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015).
It was also disclosed that among the Asean countries, the percentage of tobacco smoking prevalence ranges from 27.3% to 74.8% of its population.
Malaysia has a tobacco smoking prevalence (15+) of 44.4% (WHO Report on Global Tobacco Epidemic 2017).
Kuching North City Hall, represented by its Principal Deputy Director, Tuan Haji Morshidi Ahmad in the meeting, is the sole member city from Malaysia reflecting upon the commitment and seriousness of Mayor Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap to path the way for a tobacco free Kuching city.
During the meeting the idea of a Tobacco Free Generation (TFG) was presented by Mayor Francis Anthony S. Garcia of Balanga City, Philippines.
Balanga City aims to become the first city in the world to create this Tobacco Free Generation.
It pledged that its citizens born after the year 2000 shall be tobacco free. Kuching North City Hall would also be gearing its resources towards this.
Initial focus would be on awareness and creation of more smoke free zones.
