MALAYSIA'S Cabinet has decided to ban fast food commercials on children's television programmes, said the Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
He said fast food companies would also be banned from sponsoring such programmes.
"The decision was made because the Cabinet feels it is its responsibility to see that children below 12 years of age are instilled with good eating habits," he added after launching the national-level World Health Day 2007 celebration here today.
"Besides that, Malaysia has also ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which stipulates that children have the right to nutritious food."
Asked when the decision would be enforced, Dr Chua said his officers would first discuss the matter with the Information and Energy, Water and Communications ministries as some of the fast food companies might have already signed contracts with the television stations.
He said the ban was not a biased decision as many of the fast food companies were multinationals, while the government was focusing only on those companies that aggressively promoted fast food via the electronic media.Bernama
Monday, June 25, 2007
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