During a two-hour enforcement operation by the National Environment Agency (NEA), a few people were caught breaking the rules.
The NEA officers did the rounds to see whether smokers are adhering to the new rules.
And as of yesterday evening, over 240 smokers were given verbal warnings by NEA officials for not complying with the new rules.
Still, NEA said compliance to the new ban was high as inspections were carried out in places with high human traffic, Channel NewsAsia reported.
More places in Singapore have become smoke-free from yesterday.
Smoke-free areas They include lift lobbies, markets, multi-storey and basement carparks, hotel lobbies, ferry terminals, playgrounds, exercise areas, non air-conditioned shopping centres, shops, factories, offices, and within five metres of entrances and exits.
Tai Ji Choong, head of operations, Environmental Health Department, NEA, said: "One of the key challenges is to raise the awareness of the public to this new ban, so we are actually adopting an educational approach where we work with building managers to help us in implementing and enforcing the new rules."
IMM's building management is stepping up efforts to enforce the rules.
Mr Chow Chee Kang, head of the engineering and technical Services of CapitaLand Retail, which owns IMM, said that they had received complaints from some concerned parents that some people were smoking near children at the rooftop garden and playground.
He said: "With this initiative by NEA, I believe this concern will be addressed."
NEA said most smokers in shopping centres are tenants at the malls.
First-time offenders caught smoking in prohibited places can be fined $200, while those with subsequent convictions can be fined up to S$1,000.
The new rule is aimed at "protecting the public from second-hand smoke", Mr Khoo Seow Poh, director-general of public health with NEA had earlier told The Straits Times.
He said the drive is part of a global initiative by the World Health Organisation, which has urged governments to push for smoke-free work places and public places.
Singapore is among the close to 150 countries which have signed the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
It has already met its mandatory requirements, including a ban on tobacco advertising and health warnings on cigarettes.
Other places that have stubbed out smoking in public include Ireland, Sweden, Britain, India and Hong Kong.
In Singapore, smoking is already banned in all nightspots, hawker centres, restaurants and community clubs, among other places.
Casinos
However, casinos in the upcoming integrated resorts in Sentosa and Marina Bay have been exempted from the ban, though operators will have to draw up "house rules" to protect non-smokers, the NEA said.
Operators who fail to advise their patrons against lighting up can also be fined.
Along with more smoke-free areas from yesterday, smokers here can only smoke specially-labelled cigarettes that will distinguish the duty-paid ones from contraband.
Singapore has one of the lowest adult smoking rates in the world at about 13 per cent, according to a 2004 survey.
This story was first published in The New Paper on Jan 2, 2008.
