Malaysia starts tobacco fight<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia's tobacco industry is losing
\nhundreds of millions of ringgit annually from the smuggling of
\ncontraband cigarettes, the national Bernama news agency reported.<\/p>\n
Primary Industries Minister Lim Keng Yaik called for effective
\nmeasures against the smuggling of contraband cigarettes,
\nespecially kretek (clove-flavored cigarettes from Indonesia)
\nwhich made up 17 percent of the local cigarettes market.<\/p>\n
Lim, speaking after the opening of Philip Morris's tobacco
\nprocessing and manufacturing facility, said the sale of
\ncigarettes in Malaysia had steadily declined over the years.<\/p>\n
Last year, more than 17.5 billion sticks were sold compared to
\nmore than 18 billion sticks in 1986.<\/p>\n
Lim said Malaysia would continue to use the resources of
\nrelevant enforcement agencies to curb smuggling and sale of
\ncontraband cigarettes but hoped that the local cigarette industry
\nwould play its part by keeping prices of cigarettes stable.<\/p>\n
Philip Morris's 182 million ringgit tobacco processing
\nfacility is its first in Asia and is equipped with advanced
\ntechnology and control systems in tobacco processing and
\nblending.<\/p>\n
The bulk of the processed tobacco will be exported to
\ncountries in Asia while a small amount will be used domestically,
\nBernama reported.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaysia-starts-tobacco-fight-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}