The Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) had expressed its support for the Health Ministry's proposal to impose a tax on sugary drinks.

Its president, SM Mohamed Idris, said the move would receive a backlash from the people in general but such a step was needed as soft approach such as talks on the harm caused by excessive sugar was ineffective.

"Malaysians should reduce their sugar intake by 80 percent to stay healthy and the effort by the Health Ministry is very much welcomed to ensure that Malaysians will be healthy.

"Malaysians consume about 29 teaspoons per day, which is 4.8 times higher than the recommendation of World Health Organisation (WHO), which is only six teaspoons per day," he told Bernama at CAP's office today.

Idris said that according to statistics from International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in 2015, about 3.3 million Malaysian suffered from diabetes, with a total medical expenditure racking up to RM7 billion.

On June 16, Deputy Health Minister Dr Hilmi Yahaya had told the Dewan Negara that the ministry was planning to impose tax on sugar sweetened drinks in an effort to tackle diabetes and obesity in the county. 

Malaysia will be following the footsteps of Britain, Mexico, Chile, Finland, France and Hungary by imposing such a tax to tackle diabetes among its people.

The taxing system is considered as a new mechanism under the National Plan of Action on Nutrition III from 2016-2025.

- Bernama