Making sugar cheaper will only make docs happy

Published on: Sunday, August 26, 2018

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By Concerned Malaysian
I HAVE been following the discussions on the government’s suggestion to reduce the price of sugar to as low as RM1.50 per kg from the current RM2.95.

There have also been reports that the government is considering lowering the ceiling price by 10 sen soon.

This is indeed worrying in terms of the cost to health of Malaysians. Obesity, closely linked with sugar

consumption, is a serious issue in this country, as proven from various research by the Health Ministry.

The fundamental rule of supply and demand is that the lower the price, the higher the consumption.

Malaysia is among the countries with the highest per capita consumption of sugar now.

The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015 states that almost one in five Malaysian adults has diabetes.

This figure exceeds the Health Ministry’s 2014 projection, which predicted that the milestone would only be reached in 2020.

While business owners may benefit from the savings, at the end of the day, consumers will not see any substantial difference financially.

I believe other cost of living matters like housing, transport and basic utilities that have a greater impact on our wallet deserve more attention.

I hereby urge the government to rethink its policy when it comes to sugar pricing to encourage a healthier community in Malaysia.

Concerned Malaysian