Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperation and Consumerism (KPDNKK) is studying various proposals to withdraw the subsidy in an effort to reduce sugar intake material among Malaysians.
Its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the ministry took a serious proposal and the decision whether to abolish the sugar subsidy will be discussed at the cabinet soon.
“We still did some research on whether to abolish or reduce sugar subsidies that continue to be government.
“We acknowledge that sugar subsidies given very high so we are studying several proposals to the repealed as sugar is not a requirement in this country,” he told reporters after opening the campaign Reduce Sugar Intake organized by Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) in Kuala Lumpur today .
He said so far the government has allocated RM720 million a year subsidy for the cost of sugar to keep the price of refined sugar at the level of RM1.45 per kilogram.
Ismail, however, said price of sugar is expected to reach RM2.45 per kilogram next year if the ministry decided to abolish the sugar subsidy.
He said the factors considered that the proposed abolition of subsidies for Malaysia among the only countries that provide subsidies to the sugar people.
In addition, he said, as it supports efforts to create a healthy lifestyle among the people of this country.
Earlier, CAP president SM Mohamed Idris also urged the government to eliminate sugar subsidies after several other consumer associations also proposed the same motion recently.