KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry has come up with a Strategic Plan for Reducing Sugar Among Malaysians (2023-2025) which will involve multi-sectoral actions.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said she had announced the matter at the 16th National Food and Nutrition Safety Council meeting, which she chaired at the ministry’s headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday.
She said the meeting was also attended by Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni, 18 representatives from various ministries and agencies, and four representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The NGOs are the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association, Nutrition Society of Malaysia, and the Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity.
“In the meeting, a motion was tabled on the implementation of the ministry’s Safe Food Certification as a condition for the supply of food at official meetings and events at all ministry facilities in Putrajaya,” she said in a statement today.
Dr Zaliha said the matter needed to be refined before further action can be implemented.
She said the meeting was also informed about the National Food Safety Policy, the online monitoring system for the Malaysian National Nutrition Action Plan, the implementation of the Asean-level agreement concerning inspection and certification of food products, the gazettement of new nutrient declarations for trans fatty acids, and declaration of new functions of antioxidants from palm oil, as well as the industry’s commitment to the production of food products with healthier options.
“This meeting will be used as a platform for discussion and coordination of activities to deal with the latest issues of food safety and nutrition to improve service delivery for the well-being of the people of Malaysia Madani,” she said. – Bernama, April 12, 2023