PUTRAJAYA, Nov 25 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim instructed all ministries today to reduce sugar consumption during their gathering.
In a call to the people to reduce their sugar intake in food and avoid diabetes, he also ordered all ministries to implement a campaign to reduce sugar in their diet.
“Reports show that the highest incidence of diabetes in Asia is in Malaysia... this is not the Health Ministry's (MOH) issue alone.
“We should be a healthy country because Islam emphasises the need to look after our health, but Malaysia is number one in terms of disease due to consuming excessive sugar,” Anwar said.
In his speech at the Rural Entrepreneurs Carnival KUD@Putrajaya 2023 today, he also asked entrepreneurs to help ensure controlled sugar consumption.
“I am upset that Malaysia, with the awareness of Islam and the preaching of tazkirah, has high diabetes (cases). This means that awareness of the importance of health is not controlled,” Anwar said.
On Thursday (November 23), Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019's findings revealed the prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia is the highest in Southeast Asia, recording a significant increase from 11.2 per cent in 2011 to 18.3 per cent in 2019.
She added that MOH is set to launch a sugar advocacy plan in the near future.
— Bernama
