Why Must People Support the sugar price hike?

'Sugar is harmful to your health'; as every ones in the health business, especially the Health Ministry,been telling people to use less sugar in their daily food consumption, how many people take heed? It's very unfortunate that people in this country consume much higher than the norm or recommended dosage of sugar a day - Malaysian consume twenty six (26) teaspoons of sugar a day compared to the recommended seven(7) teaspoons; and it's almost four (4) times more than recommended!

Excessive consumption of sugar is the main cause of obesity which is the 'mother of all diseases' like high blood pressure, diabetes, renal kidney failure, and others. Bearing in mind that the highest common killer in Malaysian death is heart attack which has close linkage to the food and living life style. And, it's becoming a worrying state as the patients become younger!

The importance of the sugar matter is critically obvious.

The move by Datuk Rosnah to persuade the food and beverage industry to work together to reduce sugar consumption has two advantages: one is for the benefit of the people, and the other advantage is to reduce the sugar subsidy our country has to bear which is in the tune of almost RM1Billion a year! On top of that, we ought to take into account the expenditures or costs to provide the medical services that are required to take care of those patients caused directly or indirectly by the 'sugar' related diseases.

In order to see result of the efforts, the Health ministry must work closely with the Education Ministry in this campaign to reduce the sugar maniac in the society. It has to start young and people must be aware of the harms caused by abusive consumption of sugar ignorantly.

Of course, the effects of the price hike must be carefully monitored as the news clip attached already indicates the 'woes' or fears that the society will have to face.

Government must find a long term ways to increase the income of the people in order to resolve 'permanently' the social /cum welfare problems inflicted by the changes in the government partial withdrawal of sugar subsidy.

Sugar Subsidy Removal Must Be Supported Without Reservation

政府取消补贴白糖料涨价70%
Asia Times Sabah 2009-12-04 13:12:55
http://www.asiatimes.com.my/news.php?newsid=26233


（吉隆坡2日讯）政府一旦取消对白糖的津贴后，预料本地白糖价格将调高约70％。


业者认为，若白糖价格届时确实调高，他们也是贵来贵卖，无理由吸纳成本，做亏本生意，因此，若将会引发通胀并不稀奇。


马来西亚业粮批发商公会会长吴子联相信，若政府不再津贴白糖，市面上的白糖将起价约70％，或者每公斤白糖零售价不会低于2令吉。


他说，白糖的供应不是问题，只是价格的问题而已，需知目前国际白糖价格高企，如果没有政府的津贴，本地糖价不可能这么低。
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Sugar is bad for health, and is considered as one of the main culprits of all diseases such as diabetes, heart problem, kidney failures etc.

Less sugar intake means better health, and is a blessing in disguise if it costs more to consume it.

People should take this opportunity to cut down on the sugar usage, and save living costs as well as improving health.

Better health also means less individual production loss, and less expenses on medical cares from the government and private individual. Government has been subsidizing both the sugar and the medical care, and that by taking away the sugar subsidy, it not only saves money, but also saves substantial public fund by eventually having less patients suffering from sugar-related diseases.

It's indeed a strategy of 'one stone two birds' from the part of the government.

The removal of sugar subsidy is a most appropriate move by a good government. It shows that the intention is making a lot of sense that has been lacking in years, before now.

A healthy nation is in the making by nabbing it at it's root, before it becomes an unnecessary burden to the nation.

I strongly support this move (of removing the sugar subsidy); and all the government ought to do is stepping up the awareness campaign to persuade the general public the wisdom of accepting it.

However, the waiving of sugar subsidy will definitely trigger another round of 'inflation' in prices of all sugar-related consumer products such as bread, biscuits etc.; but I think it's really worth the risk as the removal also reflects the truth of our cost in consuming the sugar. Government should therefore work harder to raise the income of the public in order to meet this reality.

Talking about raising income of Malaysian, I think the government must do some soul-searching quickly to find a solution, and come out with an immediate action. The government must explains why people are migrating to greener pastures in other countries with a whopping 300,000 of them in last year alone!

To some peoples, no sugar means no life; however, educational campaign to eradicate the overdosing habit of Malaysian on sugar is a noble one, and the battle against this sugar-menace must also be won before the nation heading for another setback in public health care.