Haniff Khatri sues gov’t, Health Minister over smoking ban in private offices

PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla’ has filed a judicial review at the Kuala Lumpur High Court regarding the smoking ban in office areas, including private ones, made by the government through the Health Ministry, which will be implemented from Jan 1.

Following this, Mohamed Haniff Khatri named the Malaysian Government and the Health Minister as the first and second defendants in his suit, which he filed online on Tuesday (Dec 31), reported Sinar Harian.

Mohamed Haniff Khatri said the application was made in his personal capacity, and his purpose in doing so was that his office was a sole proprietorship.

“I have also given all parties, including my employees, the opportunity to decide whether they want to continue serving or quit. If they do not agree, they can quit, and I will compensate them.

“I have also informed my clients that they can come here and retrieve their case files if they do not like dealing with lawyers who smoke in the office.

“Thirdly, I have also put up a notice outside the office since last October informing that anyone who does not like dealing with lawyers who smoke should not come here because this is a smoking area,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Commenting further, Mohamed Haniff Khatri said that he had also sent a letter to the Health Minister on Nov 29, 2025 to request that he exempt his office from the ban.

He is a heavy smoker and wishes for others to respect his lifestyle.

“I also do not force my employees and clients to take in cigarette smoke. In fact, smoking is still legal and halal according to the current civil law in Malaysia.

“So do not let smoking in the workplace and my private space become illegal in the eyes of the law.

Therefore, I will file a judicial review tonight even though it is quite late,” he explained.

In fact, Mohamed Haniff Khatri said that he had also challenged the order and ban on smoking in eateries and restaurants issued by the Health Ministry, previously.

“We should also not forget that previously, the government had to withdraw the provision prohibiting people born after 2017 from smoking or better known as the Smoking Eradication Generation (GEG) Bill, after receiving the advice of the Attorney General.

“The Attorney General gave such advice because the teenager was born before the GEG Bill was drafted and tabled in Parliament in 2022.

“The problem is that I’ve been smoking cigarettes since I started in 1986. Now, the ministry wants to stop me from smoking in private spaces, even though I don’t disturb anyone,” he stated.

According to him, the ministry had responded to the letter he sent previously but rejected the application.

The stated reason was the absence of a provision for granting exemptions.

“So that is why I filed a judicial review today,” he said.