KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia could be on its way to shed its ‘sweet’ image, as the Health Ministry is working with hawkers’ associations to reduce the amount of sugar in their food and drink.
With the slogan “one teaspoon is enough, less is better, none is the best”, minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa (Sekijang-PH) said the move is part of the ministry’s efforts to reduce the number of Malaysians afflicted by non-communicable diseases (NCD), especially diabetes.
Malaysia recorded the highest diabetes prevalence in Southeast Asia at 18.3% in 2019, making it the “sweetest nation in Southeast Asia”.
“The ministry is now at the final stage to engage with hawkers’ associations. For instance, (we have engaged with) the Putrajaya Hawkers and Small Businesses Association to provide beverages without sugar (as a choice), to support the campaign to reduce sugar intake with the slogan.”
She said the increased excise duty to 50 sen per litre on sugar-sweetened beverages will be channelled to the Health Ministry to curb and treat diabetes, including to provide support to dialysis centres.
This was in response to a query by Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (Bandar Kuching- PH) during minister’s question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Earlier, Dr Zaliha said the government had spent RM4.38 billion to treat diabetes in 2017, which is almost half (45.38%) of the total spent to treat all NCD cases, which was recorded at RM9.65 billion and 16.8% of the total expenditure of the Health Ministry in that year.
In 2017, NCDs had negatively impacted the economy, in which the indirect costs involved RM12.88 billion in the form of productivity loss, she added.
Diabetes cases recorded the highest productivity loss at RM5.74 billion, followed by cardiovascular diseases at RM5.32 billion. – November 23, 2023