PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on the public to reduce or eliminate sugar from their beverages, highlighting a new initiative where 12,000 restaurants under the Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) are offering a 30 sen discount per drink for those opting for less or no sugar.
New straits Times cited Anwar saying the initiative not only encourages healthier drinking habits but also allows consumers to save money, reinforcing the government's commitment to promoting better lifestyles.
"I appreciate the efforts of the restaurant association in lowering the prices for drinks with less sugar," Anwar said during a media session after launching the Singgah Madani programme and enjoying a meal at Restoran Nasi Kandar Liga Maju in Putrajaya today.
"At present, the price of tea or coffee remains unchanged regardless of whether it contains sugar. This initiative creates a noticeable difference."
"We are actively campaigning for the reduction of sugar intake, and this effort supports that goal," New Straits Times quoted Anwar saying.
Also present at the event were Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, and Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories).
In a statement, Presma president Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan explained that the initiative aims to encourage the public to adopt healthier eating and drinking habits. "The 30 sen discount is available at all restaurant branches displaying the Malaysia Madani logo," he said.
"This programme has been running for some time now. For example, if a regular glass of tea without milk costs RM1.50, the less-sugar version is offered at RM1.20, resulting in a 30 sen discount," he explained.
"This is one of our contributions to promoting a healthier lifestyle for the public." – February 28, 2025
