KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 28): Several vape retailers today filed an injunction at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to obtain a ruling on the vaping industry, after the Kelantan and Johor governments declared a ban on the sale of e-cigarettes in the two states effective next month.

Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, president of an association representing small and medium entrepreneurs (Ikhlas), filed the injunction this morning, saying that they wanted the courts to come up with the final say on the issue.

"We want to be sure. Nobody knows whether it is banned or not," said Zulhazmi Zakaria, a lawyer representing the group.

"Since the vaping issue emerged, there have been raids without any charges made. Just two compounds issued under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act and offences under the local council laws in Johor Baru.

"We want a final decision. The state laws cannot conflict with the federal (government). The federal (government) has not banned vaping, but some states have."

He added that they wanted to know whether the National Fatwa Council's decision that vaping was prohibited, or haram, affected non-Muslims.

Ridzuan told a press conference that Ikhlas would sue the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, Health Ministry, Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism and the Johor local councils for seizing vape products from traders.

He said the group abided by the Johor Sultan's directive that all sales of e-cigarettes would stop by next month, yet their products had been seized even before the decree was enforced.

"They seized items, and this means they are not abiding by the sultan's decree. So, the first thing we will do is to file a suit demanding compensation and an injunction against the Johor government," said Ridzuan.

He said the civil servants were to blame, rather than the federal government, which had yet to declare a ban on the industry.

"The Cabinet hasn't even decided that vaping should be banned. Why won't they just follow the Cabinet?

"Ikhlas is not going to let this go. Malay traders are being accused of selling drugs and ganja and whatnot. So we are making these demands today."

Ridzuan added that the group would send a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak complaining of Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam's inaction.

He said they planned to teach Dr Subramaniam a lesson by not voting the Segamat MP in the next general election.

He said the association had about 1,000 retailers registered under them.

"We will study this from a legal aspect before we file it in court.

"I hope the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, opens his mouth about the National Fatwa Council. We want to know what is happening."