Zuhainy Zulkiffli
GEORGETOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has welcomed the government's move to continue what it calls the "war on sugar" in the 2025 Budget.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the excise duty imposed on sugar-sweetened beverages would be raised from 50sen to 90sen per litre from Jan 1.
CAP senior education officer N.V. Subbarow said Malaysia is among the most obese nations in Southeast Asia and that sugar was the main "culprit" in non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
He said he hoped the increased excise duty would lead to fewer diabetics and the reduced cost of treating the disease.
"For us, it's sweet news without the sugar and CAP welcomes the 40sen per litre increase in the excise duty."
In tabling the 2025 Budget yesterday, Anwar said that revenue from the increased excise duty would go towards healthcare spending including the supply of SGLT-2 inhibitors to treat diabetes.
In August, CAP urged the authorities to implement taxes on unhealthy food to curb obesity and related health issues.
It said it was concerned with the impact of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and drink products on weight gain and the risk of several NCDs such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.