He said that while the two-sen-per-stick hike in cigarette tax was a positive step, the absence of similar measures for vape was puzzling, especially since the health ministry had proposed an increase from 40 sen to RM4 per millilitre.

“Why was this left out of the budget? Did the finance ministry reject the health ministry’s plan? Or is there a policy clash between the two ministries?” he asked during the Dewan Rakyat debate on the 2026 budget.

Wan Saiful said that without a sufficiently high minimum price, vape products would remain cheaper than cigarettes and easily accessible to students.

“If we are serious about nicotine control, we must set a floor price — RM6 or RM6.25 per ml — to match cigarettes.”

He also dismissed claims that higher vape taxes were unnecessary due to plans to ban the product next year, urging the government to act immediately.

“If you’re serious, do it now. Don’t make excuses and wait for some future solution,” he said.

In September, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said his ministry aimed to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes or vapes as early as mid-2026.

He said that while the ministry was committed to implementing the ban, it would be done in phases, adding that there were “many factors to consider”.