GEORGE TOWN: Offer food or drinks overladen with sugar to the discerning and you are likely to be told: “Potong kaki!” (literally, “cut off leg” in Malay).
When diabetics’ blood sugar levels go out of control, they risk having their feet amputated because a small sore can turn gangrenous, leaving surgeons with no other choice than to sever the appendage.
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With an impending rise in the sugar tax, it is heartening to note that many Malaysians are heeding the call to reduce their sugar consumption by ordering drinks with less or even no sugar.
In Penang, there are several traditional kopitiam outlets which place a jar of granulated sugar on the table for the customer to make their own choice on the amount they prefer.
“For those who ask for kopi-O and teh-O, they may add some sugar if they like,” said Micah Ooi, 40, who runs a coffeeshop in Lebuh Gereja in the heart of the heritage enclave.
He said it was now becoming common for many customers to ask for drinks to be made “kurang manis” (less sweet), admitting that there were a handful still unable to keep their sweet tooth at bay.
He said if the government went ahead with the sugar tax hike, he would review his costs before deciding on any price increase. “For now, our prices remain,” he said.
Mazurah Pawanchi, 57, who has a coffeeshop in Komtar, agreed with the plan to increase the sugar tax.
“It is good as it will make us use less sugar in preparing drinks and when cooking,” said Mazurah, who has operated the coffeeshop for about three decades.
She added that she would welcome it if the government decided to start a health awareness campaign in coffeeshops to remind people of the dangers of a high sugar intake.
Another Komtar food seller, Zainul Razman Zainul Abidin, 46, said he would wait and see before deciding on a price increase.
On Sept 8, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged business owners to play an active role in encouraging the public to reduce sugar use in their orders.
Under Budget 2024, the government increased the tax on sugary drinks from 40sen to 50sen per litre starting Jan 1 this year.
The tax hike successfully reduced the consumption of sugary drinks by 9.25% nationwide.
