Cabinet to discuss proposed sugary drink excise tax: Wan Azizah

PUTRAJAYA: The next meeting of the Cabinet will discuss a proposal to impose a sugary drink excise tax, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today.
She said the proposal is one of 12 policies for a healthy lifestyle which were agreed to at a meeting today of the Cabinet Committee for a Health-Promoting Environment, which she chairs.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, said it was one of the efforts of the government to create a healthy living culture and curb non-communicable diseases among the people.
"We have not worked out the details of the tax. We will bring it to the Cabinet. The Finance Minister will refine it.
"The revenue from this tax may be placed in the Consolidated Fund," she said at a press conference after chairing the meeting, which was attended by representatives of 12 ministries.
She said several countries, such as Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Thailand and Mexico, have imposed the tax.
Dr Wan Azizah said the meeting also agreed to raise the capacity of the school ecosystem to upgrade the nutritional status of school children.
She also said that the policy towards a healthy lifestyle also involved gazetting recreational areas that had yet to be gazetted as conservation areas.
It also involved conducting a quit-smoking service at health centres and public and private universities through the mQuit programme and tightening control and enforcement of the illegal cigarette trade in the country, she said.
Dr Wan Azizah said the meeting also agreed to require weight management programmes at selected ministries or departments and making it mandatory to provide healthy food in cafeterias, workplaces and universities.
Dr Wan Azizah said the meeting also agreed to come up with guidelines on the planning of green neighbourhoods by incorporating a policy making it mandatory for the provision of bicycle lanes in every new housing estate.
In addition, it agreed to enhance health screening through various approaches, the culture of eating fruits and vegetables and implementing the National Health Promotion Campaign, she said.
On the proposal to restrict the operating hours of restaurants up to midnight, Dr Wan Azizah said the policy will require negotiating with the stakeholders and implementation in phases.
Other proposals that require scrutiny include the enforcement of restrictions on the advertising of unhealthy food and drinks directed at children, she said.
Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad also attended the meeting. — Bernama