Hundreds protest planned anti-smoking laws in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - Owners and workers of Hong Kong bars and mahjong parlours mounted a rare protest on Wednesday to condemn a government plan to enact tough anti-smoking laws which they said would kill the city's entertainment business.

Crowding outside the Legislative Council building in the Central business district, many of the estimated 200 protesters puffed away at cigarettes as they held up placards to denounce the proposed law.

"Smoking ban will drive away customers," the banners read.

Inside the legislative chamber, senior government officials proposed extending existing laws against smoking in shopping malls, banks and supermarkets to cover all indoor areas to better protect workers from second-hand smoke.

This means it would be an offence to smoke in restaurants, bars, karaoke lounges, mahjong parlours, commercial bathhouses and other work places. Fines would stay at $HK5000 ($NZ885).

"We hope to have the law implemented next year," said a government spokeswoman.

But owners and workers at these establishments say the tough measures would destroy the entertainment industry.

"Ninety per cent of our customers smoke and they just won't visit our premises any more if they can't smoke," said Chan Keung, owner of one of Hong Kong's estimated 750 mahjong parlours.

Mahjong is a very popular game with Chinese with four players.

"If someone needs to go outside to smoke, does that mean the other three will have to sit there and wait?" Chan said, adding that the livelihoods of thousands of workers would be threatened by the new law.

"I'd rather breathe second-hand smoke than die of starvation!"

Cheng Chi-mun, a smoker and patron of mahjong parlours, said he would prefer to stay home when the new law is in place.

"I come here for leisure. Gambling and smoking is just normal and if I can't do that, I just won't come," he said.

According to the World Health Organisation, 16 people in Hong Kong die each day from tobacco-related illnesses. About 15 percent of the population of nearly seven million smokes.

- REUTERS