Could their business go up in smoke?

Coffee shop owners in certain parts of Malaysia are up in arms over a the potential introduction of a smoking ban, saying that they’ll lose large amounts of revenue as customers will head elsewhere for their caffeine and pastry fix.

The Petaling Jaya Coffeeshop Association’s (PJCA) secretary, Keu Kok Meng, is one such outspoken critic of this proposal: “Smoking in coffee shops has come part of Malaysian culture. On many occasions, we see people going to coffee shops, not to have a drink, but to smoke.”

Keu has said that the PJCA’s four-hundred members held an extraordinary emergency meeting as soon as news broke about the ban.

Evidently, they’re not too enamoured about being able to eat, drink and work in a smoke-free environment.

“Enforcing a no-smoking ban now, especially so close after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be harmful to our businesses,” Keu continued when speaking to Malaysian reporters.

Those with long memories may remember that we focused on the Goods and Service Tax in a previous entry, reporting that a handful of coffee shops in the Malaysian state of Sarawak had their wrists-slapped because they overcharged customers for this tax in what threatened to be a PR disaster for the industry.

Keu also confirmed that he and the PJCA had met with ministry officials from the Disease Control Division.

According to the proposed law, smoking will be banned in all commercial premises where food and drink is served and sold, even in outdoor locations and those shops that have air-conditioning units installed.

 “We feel that more time and feedback is needed before it is enforced in a way that is effective and without affecting our business.