MALAYSIA will not impose a sugar tax on beverages freshly prepared in cafés, restaurants or food stalls, with the Health Ministry maintaining that its Healthy Dining Programme (HDP) remains the government’s preferred strategy for steering the public towards better dietary choices.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the HDP, launched in 2021, builds on the long-running Healthier Choice Logo scheme, which highlights packaged goods that meet nutritional standards.
“HDP is a continuation of the Healthier Choice Logo (HCL) programme, which recognises healthier packaged food products,” he said in a written parliamentary reply on Monday.
Under the HDP, assessments cover freshly prepared food and drink, and qualifying items are awarded a logo to guide diners towards healthier options.
“The display of this logo aims to help customers make healthier food and beverage choices when dining out.”
His comments were made in response to a question from Lee Chean Chung (PH–Petaling Jaya) on whether the government intended to broaden the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax—currently limited to ready-to-drink products—to include drinks brewed or mixed on-site, a proposal floated as part of the War on Sugar public health campaign.
Dzulkefly said that by September 2025, 12 restaurant operators had joined the HDP, with 147 menu items certified.
He said the ministry expected uptake to increase as part of a wider effort to cultivate healthier eating patterns among Malaysians.
He also set out the evolution of the SSB tax since its introduction on 1 July 2019. The levy initially covered three categories of ready-to-drink beverages—carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, milk-based beverages, and fruit or vegetable juices exceeding specified sugar thresholds—at RM0.40 per litre.
“The tax rate was increased by 10 sen on 1 January 2024 and was raised by a further 40 sen, bringing it to RM0.90 per litre starting 1 January 2025.”
The measure was extended on 1 March 2024 to include premix beverages such as 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 coffee, tea and chocolate drinks at RM0.47 per 100 grams.
Despite these expansions, Dzulkefly said the government sees no need for a fresh levy on made-to-order drinks, emphasising instead the HDP’s collaborative approach with industry. - November 18, 2025
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