YB Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad
Minister of Health Malaysia
Ministry of Health
Block E1, E3 , E6 , E7 & E10, Parcel E
Federal Government Administration Centre
62590 PUTRAJAYA
Malaysia
Phone No: 03-8883 2527
Email: drdzul@moh.gov.my
Here are my thoughts and suggestions on:
SODA TAX | An Excellent Idea
I was in Latvia two years ago - sweetened cordials like Ribena, Sunquick and etc are not sold in supermarkets, or anywhere else for that matter - totally banned. Fruit juices sold in tetrapacks are either unsweetened or the government regulates the amount of permitted sugar content.
A soda tax would be an excellent way to control consumer behaviour. But its not just about calories, ADHD, obesity, diabetes and caries. Its also about weaning the public away from their sweet tooth (sugar addiction), which also means controlling the amount of artificial sweeteners in food and drinks so that the public gets used to tasting less sweetness.
Hence, there is also a psychological dimension to sugar that needs to be articulated and addressed.
Another concern is sweetened condensed milk, a mainstay of warungs and mamaks who use condensed milk as their shelf life is longer than unsweetened evaporated milk or creamer - without refrigeration. Due to our hot tropical climate, fresh milk and evaporated milk will spoil quickly without refrigeration. However, the sugar in sweetened condensed milk and creamers act as a preservative and affords a longer shelf life.
This needs to be addressed in a wholistic manner, unless we are satisfied with half-baked public policies.
Step 1
Ban the sale of sweetened cordials as in Latvia.
Step 1a
Simultaneous with ban, educate the public on the dangers of sugar. This is the carrot. Announce that in one year’s time the government will limit the quantity of sugar allowed in packaged and bottled drinks and beverages including powdered drink mixes such as Milo, Ovaltine and Horlicks. Drinks that do not comply with this limit will be subject to the Soda Tax, and announce what the tax quantum is. This is the stick.
We need to give a year’s grace period for manufacturers to reformulate their recipes.
Step 2 (a year later)
Implement the Soda Tax and announce that it will be doubled in a year’s time for drinks that do exceed the mandated amount of sugar. This is the big stick.
Step 2a
Simultaneous to Step 2 launch another public awareness campaign on the healthier options, giving consumers a choice - lead a healthier lifestyle or pay more.
Note
This is important not to tax sugar itself, as this will affect almost all processed food and lead to inflation. The tax will be only on food that exceed the designated amount of sugar. A panel of scientific medical, dental and other experts should be consulted to decide on the amount, or to save the trouble of re-inventing the whole, follow standards set by world class best practices.
Sincerely
Azlan Adnan
Founder
Green Party of Malaysia
References:
https://goo.gl/vq4JPt
P.S.
YB, you may recall we shared the stage together six and a half years ago at this event:
https://youtu.be/RcLZoCFIN3A
Minister of Health Malaysia
Ministry of Health
Block E1, E3 , E6 , E7 & E10, Parcel E
Federal Government Administration Centre
62590 PUTRAJAYA
Malaysia
Phone No: 03-8883 2527
Email: drdzul@moh.gov.my
Here are my thoughts and suggestions on:
SODA TAX | An Excellent Idea
I was in Latvia two years ago - sweetened cordials like Ribena, Sunquick and etc are not sold in supermarkets, or anywhere else for that matter - totally banned. Fruit juices sold in tetrapacks are either unsweetened or the government regulates the amount of permitted sugar content.
A soda tax would be an excellent way to control consumer behaviour. But its not just about calories, ADHD, obesity, diabetes and caries. Its also about weaning the public away from their sweet tooth (sugar addiction), which also means controlling the amount of artificial sweeteners in food and drinks so that the public gets used to tasting less sweetness.
Hence, there is also a psychological dimension to sugar that needs to be articulated and addressed.
Another concern is sweetened condensed milk, a mainstay of warungs and mamaks who use condensed milk as their shelf life is longer than unsweetened evaporated milk or creamer - without refrigeration. Due to our hot tropical climate, fresh milk and evaporated milk will spoil quickly without refrigeration. However, the sugar in sweetened condensed milk and creamers act as a preservative and affords a longer shelf life.
This needs to be addressed in a wholistic manner, unless we are satisfied with half-baked public policies.
Step 1
Ban the sale of sweetened cordials as in Latvia.
Step 1a
Simultaneous with ban, educate the public on the dangers of sugar. This is the carrot. Announce that in one year’s time the government will limit the quantity of sugar allowed in packaged and bottled drinks and beverages including powdered drink mixes such as Milo, Ovaltine and Horlicks. Drinks that do not comply with this limit will be subject to the Soda Tax, and announce what the tax quantum is. This is the stick.
We need to give a year’s grace period for manufacturers to reformulate their recipes.
Step 2 (a year later)
Implement the Soda Tax and announce that it will be doubled in a year’s time for drinks that do exceed the mandated amount of sugar. This is the big stick.
Step 2a
Simultaneous to Step 2 launch another public awareness campaign on the healthier options, giving consumers a choice - lead a healthier lifestyle or pay more.
Note
This is important not to tax sugar itself, as this will affect almost all processed food and lead to inflation. The tax will be only on food that exceed the designated amount of sugar. A panel of scientific medical, dental and other experts should be consulted to decide on the amount, or to save the trouble of re-inventing the whole, follow standards set by world class best practices.
Sincerely
Azlan Adnan
Founder
Green Party of Malaysia
References:
https://goo.gl/vq4JPt
P.S.
YB, you may recall we shared the stage together six and a half years ago at this event:
https://youtu.be/RcLZoCFIN3A
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