M'SIAN PM: SHOULD GOVERNMENT CONTINUE SUDSIDISING SUGAR PRICE?

PEKAN (Malaysia), Jan 4 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak is asking
Malaysians to think whether the government should continue subsidising the price
of sugar.

He said the government spent close to RM1 billion (US$291.72 million) each
year to sudsidise the price of sugar while the number of diabetics in this
country was among the highest in the world.

"What we should do is change our dietary habit by reducing our sugar intake.
I myself drink tea without sugar. This means we can change; we don't need so
much sugar.

"There's no logic in the government spending almost RM1 billion yearly to
subsidise a food product that can bring harm to the people," Najib told
reporters at a function in this royal town in east coast state of Pahang,
his parliamentary constituency, Sunday.

He was asked to comment on the price increase of 20 sen per kg of sugar from
Jan 1 as announced by the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry,
but regarded by some quarters as a new year "gift" for the people.

Asked about the effects of the sugar price hike on the prices of other
goods, Najib said the government would be monitoring the situation.

"The price of controlled items cannot be raised....we will monitor this. We
will also study the price of some commodities from time to time. What we do is
in the interest of the people," he said.

Najib said the people should also view the sugar price increase positively,
that is, by changing their dietary habit for their own good health.

He said despite the sugar price hike, the commodity was still cheaper
compared to its price in other Asean countries.
-- BERNAMA