Comedian Shuib Sepahtu pleads guilty and is fined RM10,000 for promoting an e-cigarette product on YouTube, violating new public health laws.
PUTRAJAYA: Comedian Shahmira Muhamad, known as Shuib Sepahtu, was fined RM10,000 by the Magistrate’s Court today after pleading guilty to promoting an electronic cigarette product.
Magistrate Ezrene Zakariah imposed the fine on the 42-year-old and ordered a one-month jail term if he failed to pay, which he subsequently did.
He was charged with promoting a smoking product brand during a YouTube podcast on October 22, 2024.
The charge falls under Section 9(1) of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2024 (Act 852), which prohibits arrangements that promote tobacco or its substitutes.
The offence was linked to a specific YouTube video reviewed by the Ministry of Health’s Public Health Inspectorate and Legal Sector.
Prosecuting officer Kua Ah Kiong from the MOH urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence for promoting a product with negative public health impacts.
He stated the accused’s actions clearly violated the law, and public interest must supersede any personal benefit from such promotions.
“The use of smoking products can lead to serious health complications and high treatment costs,” Kua said.
He added that children and adolescents are easily influenced by promotions, especially from admired public figures.
Shuib’s lawyer, Ahmad I’zzudin Ahmad Nadzri, argued his client was the podcast producer and the agreement with the vape company predated Act 852.
He noted the charge was filed in October 2024, before the Act’s official enforcement notification in April 2025.
The lawyer said the defendant acted responsibly by quickly removing the podcast content from YouTube.
This made the video link inaccessible and eliminated its societal impact, according to the defence.
