George Town has been awarded the silver prize at the 2nd Asean Smoke-Free Awards in recognition of its efforts to promote smoke-free environments and enforce tobacco control measures. The accolade was presented during the 17th Asean Health Ministers Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur.

Daniel Gooi, Penang’s Health Committee chairman, highlighted the significance of the award given the city’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that also functions as a vibrant urban area where residents live, work, study, and visit daily. He emphasized that safeguarding public spaces and ensuring clean air is not only essential for public health but also crucial for preserving the city’s heritage and sustainability.

Reflecting on the achievement, Gooi attributed the success to collaborative and sustained efforts across multiple agencies and sectors within the community. He underscored that the award demonstrates a shared commitment to creating healthier public spaces in George Town, a process that involves active participation at both city and state government levels.

The South-East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca), which administers the awards, announced that George Town followed gold recipient Baguio City from the Philippines, with Kuala Lumpur taking bronze. Despite Penang’s progress in reducing traditional tobacco use, Gooi noted the rising challenge posed by new nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches. These developments raise concerns about protecting youth from nicotine addiction and preventing the normalization of nicotine consumption.

Gooi called for robust cooperation among governments, health agencies, local authorities, civil society, and communities, emphasizing that public health cannot be addressed by a single agency or government tier alone. “As a state government, we believe that local action matters,” he said, viewing George Town’s recognition as an example of how local and regional initiatives can collectively advance broader public health goals.

Highlighting ongoing challenges, Gooi acknowledged that more work remains to be done and reiterated the aim of building healthier communities and environments with lasting benefits.

Tan Yean Lian, Seatca’s knowledge and information manager, explained that the award evaluation considers 11 criteria, including smoke-free policies, the presence of task forces or working groups, political will, strategic approaches, mass media engagement, inspection measures, key messaging, and government support. The selection process involves multiple rounds of assessment, interviews, and document reviews before final scores are assigned.