Table 1.
Summary: tobacco industry interference index in ASEAN countries
| Indicators | BN | KH | ID | LA | MY | PH | TH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Level of participation in policy-development 0 Not applicable, 1 Never, 2 Rarely (<10% of the time), 3 Sometimes (10–40% of the time), 4 Frequently (40–75% of the time), 5 Always (>75% of the time) | |||||||
| 1. The government accepts, supports or endorses offer for assistance by or in collaboration with the tobacco industry in implementing tobacco control policies (Rec 3.1) *1 no incident, 2 receives/ accepts/ acknowledges, 3 supports or endorses, 4 uses assistance/repeats arguments, 5 allows such assistance or collaboration to influence decisions on policy |
1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 2. The government accepts, supports or endorses legislation drafted by/collaboration with the tobacco industry (Rec 3.4) | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 3. The government allows the tobacco industry to sit in multisectoral committee/advisory group that sets public health policy (Rec 4.8) | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 4. The government allows representatives from the tobacco industry (including state-owned) in the delegation to the COP or subsidiary bodies or accepts their sponsorship for delegates. (Rec 4.9 and 8.3) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Subtotal | 4 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 20 | 5 |
|
So-called CSR activities 0 Not applicable, 1 Never, 2 Rarely (<10% of the time), 3 Sometimes (10–40% of the time), 4 Frequently (40–75% of the time), 5 Always (>75% of the time) | |||||||
| 5. The government receives contributions from the tobacco industry (including so-called CSR contributions) (Rec 6.4) | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 6. The government agencies/officials endorses, forms partnerships with/ participates in tobacco industry CSR activities (Rec 6.2) *1 acknowledges, 2 endorses/supports, 3 participates (through officials), 4 forms partnership, 5 supports/partners with AND participates |
0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Subtotal | 1 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
|
Benefits to the tobacco industry 0 Not applicable, 1 Never, 2 Rarely (<10% of the time), 3 Sometimes (10–40% of the time), 4 Frequently (40–75% of the time), 5 Always (>75% of the time) | |||||||
| 7. The government accommodates requests from the industry for longer implementation time or postponement of tobacco control law (Rec 7.1) | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 8. The government gives privileges, incentives, exemptions or benefits to the tobacco industryi (Rec 7.3) | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Subtotal | 2 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
|
Forms of unnecessary interaction 1 Never 5 Yes (even if only 1 incident in the past 2 years) | |||||||
| 9. Top-level government officials meet with/foster relations with the tobacco companies such as attending social functions and events sponsored or organised by the tobacco companies (Rec 2.1) | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 10. The government accepts assistance/offers of assistance from the tobacco industry on enforcement (Rec 3.1 and 4.3) | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 11. The government accepts, supports, endorses or enters into partnerships or agreements with the tobacco industry (Rec 3.1) | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Subtotal | 3 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 15 | 7 |
|
Transparency 0 Not applicable, 1 Never, 2 Rarely (<10% of the time), 3 Sometimes (10–40% of the time), 4 Frequently (40–75% of the time), 5 Always (>75% of the time) | |||||||
| 12. The government does not publicly disclose meetings/interactions with the tobacco industry where such interactions are strictly necessary for regulation. (Rec 2.2) | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Subtotal | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Conflict of Interest | |||||||
| 13. The government does not have a policy (whether or not written) to prohibit contributions from the tobacco industry or any entity working to further its interests to political parties, candidates, or campaigns or to require full disclosure of such contributions (Rec 4.11) *1 No; 5 Yes |
1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 14. Retired senior officials work for the tobacco industry (Rec 4.4) *0 Not applicable, 1 Never, 2 Rarely (<10% of the time), 3 Sometimes (10–40% of the time), 4 Frequently (40–75% of the time), 5 Always (>75% of the time) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 15. Current government officials and their relatives hold positions in the tobacco business including consultancy positions (Rec 4.5, 4.8 and 4.10) *0 Technical officials necessary to manage state-owned enterprise; 1 Low-to-mid-level public health officials; 2 Non-tobacco control high-level public health official, 3 Tobacco control-related official (agriculture, customs); 4 Tobacco control official in health ministry; 5 any high-level official (Minister, Prime Minister, including elected officials) |
1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Subtotal | 3 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 15 |
|
Preventive Measures 1 Yes, 2 Yes but partial only, 3 Policy/programme being developed, 4 Committed to develop such a policy/programme, 5 None | |||||||
| 16. The government has a procedure for disclosing records of the interaction with tobacco industry and its representatives. (Rec 5.1) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 17. The government has formulated, adopted or implemented a code of conduct for public officials, prescribing the standards they should comply when dealings with the tobacco industry (Rec 4.2) | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 18. The government requires the tobacco industry to periodically submit information on tobacco production, manufacture, market share, marketing expenditures, revenues and any other activity, including lobbying, philanthropy and political contributions. (Rec 5.2) | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 19. The government has a programme/system/plan to consistently raise awareness within its departments on policies relating to FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines. (Rec 1.1, 1.2) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 20. The government has a policy prohibiting the acceptance of all forms of contributions from the tobacco industry (monetary or otherwise) including offers of assistance, policy drafts or study visit invitations to the government, officials and their relatives. (Rec 3.4) | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Subtotal | 16 | 20 | 21 | 24 | 17 | 6 | 12 |
| Total | 29 | 68 | 78 | 61 | 72 | 73 | 51 |
iFor example, The government reduced income tax rates or property tax exemption, duty-free imports of machineries and capital assets, subsidies for tobacco production, delayed implementation of excise tax increase, other incentives granted to foreign investors, duty-free tobacco distribution in government owned facility or shop.
ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations; COP, Conference of the Parties; CSR, corporate social responsibility; FCTC, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.