MALAYSIAN HEALTH PROMOTION
Background
The Cabinet of Ministers had decided in August 2002 to establish a Malaysian Health Promotion Foundation to provide funding for health promotion activities and to replace sponsorship of sport and cultural activities by tobacco companies.
The Foundation will be a statutory body established under an Act of Parliament.
It will be governed by an independent Board consisting of representatives from relevant Ministries, NGOs, and professionals who possess expertise relevant to health promotion.
The establishment of the Foundation is part of a package of measures to strengthen tobacco control and to promote health. It was originally proposed that the fund for supporting and sustaining the activities of the Foundation will be derived from dedicated taxes on tobacco products and alcohol, like in the case of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth).
Legal Mandate
The Board is legally established by Parliament under the Malaysian Health Promotion Board Act 2006 (Act 651). The Act was gazetted on 29 June 2006. The date for enforcement of the Act will be determined by the Minister of Health.
Vision
A healthier and active Malaysia
Mission
To build capacity and strengthen partnerships for health promotion through promotion of healthy lifestyle, healthy setting and healthy population.
Key Directions
- Working with and through others to develop, implement and evaluate more comprehensive and well supported health promotion programs in the priority areas of
- Tobacco Control
- Physical Activity
- Healthy Eating
- Mental Health
Objectives
- To develop and support multi-strategy programs that promote and support healthy lifestyles and healthy environments through various settings and sectors
- To develop and support programs to improve population health by preventing, reducing or stopping the use of tobacco products
- To fund research relevant to health promotion; and
- To fund and support sporting, recreational and cultural organizations to promote healthy lifestyles and healthy environments.
Governance
The Board shall consist of the following members:
- a Chairman to be appointed by the Prime Minister upon the advice of the Minister of Health;
- a representative of the Ministry of Health
- a representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports
- a representative of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage
- a representative of the Ministry of Finance
- two community members each from the health, sport and culture sectors
- not more than six members representing professions or possessing expertise relevant to the functions of the Board
- the members to be nominated shall include one person from the health promotion sector, one from the health research sector and others from other areas which may include education, law, finance, advertising, social marketing, youth and women’s interests.
Finance
A fund called the Malaysian Health Promotion Fund shall be administered and controlled by the Board. The Fund shall consist of –
- such sums as may be allocated annually by the Government
- all moneys earned or arising from any property, charges or interest acquired by or vested in the Board
- all grants, donations, gifts, contributions, bequests or any other sums received by the Board from any sources except from those involved or related to tobacco products or intoxicating liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers or their agents
- all other moneys lawfully received by the Board under this Act
- For the year 2007, the government has allocated a sum of approximately USD11 million for the operation of the Board.
Expenditure to be charged on the Fund
- carrying out health promotion programs and activities
- providing grants to sport, recreational, cultural and other health related societies for the purpose of health promotion
- generally paying any other expenses incidental to the management of the Fund and the functions of the Board
Contact Address
Block D, Ministry of Health Complex
Cenderasari Rd., Kuala Lumpur
50590 Malaysia
Tel: +603 2693 5881
Fax:+603 2698 1600
www.healthpromo.gov.my