Fix food policy now or face health crisis, says economist
Economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram speaking at EPF's International Social Wellbeing Conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia must urgently reform its food and nutrition policies, especially for young children, to improve long-term health and development, says economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram.
Speaking at EPF's International Social Wellbeing Conference here today, the Khazanah Research Institute adviser said many government nutrition programmes were low in quality and did not meet basic dietary needs.
He also criticised the government's reliance on market mechanisms like the sugar tax, saying these alone were insufficient.
'The sugar tax is not working well. We need real rules and changes in how people eat,' he said in his keynote speech for the session titled 'Living Longer: Is Malaysia Ready for the Challenges Ahead?'
'People must be encouraged to eat fresh, healthy food again. Not everything can be solved by taxes.'
In 2019, Malaysia introduced a sugar tax of RM0.40 per litre for sweetened beverages which it raised to RM0.50 in 2024, with plans to hike it to RM0.90 this year.
While the tax has led to some product reformulation, its impact on public health remains under debate.
Jomo described Malaysia's surging diabetes rates as a serious warning sign, saying prevalence had tripled since the 1980s, with nearly one in four adults now living with the disease.
'This shows that our past health campaigns have failed. We must act before it gets worse,' he said.
He cited the 1970s village midwife programme as an example of an effective, low-cost public health policy that reduced maternal and child mortality but was never scaled up.
'These ideas worked well before. But we didn't build on them,' he said.
He urged the government to adopt a 'whole-of-government and whole-of-society' approach to issues such as poor nutrition, ageing, and unequal access to care.
'This should not be led by companies trying to sell products,' he said. 'We need to talk about real solutions for everyone's health and well-being.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Pikachu and Snorlax named Japan's ambassadors to encourage better sleeping habits
Japan's Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry has been collaborating with the Pokemon Company. -- PHOTO: TAKAMARO FUKUOKA/ FACEBOOK TOKYO (Japan News/ANN): In a charming and strategic move to encourage healthy sleeping habits, Pikachu and Snorlax – two beloved characters from the globally popular Pokemon franchise – have officially been appointed as 'sleep support ambassadors' by the government. The Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry spearheaded this initiative, which leverages the appeal of these iconic figures to encourage people, especially children, to develop better sleep habits. The characters will participate in various public awareness events, adding a fun, recognisable element to the important message that everyone needs to get enough sleep. The ministry recommends nine to 12 hours of sleep for elementary students, and eight to 10 hours for junior and high school students, to maintain good health. Since last fiscal year, the ministry has been collaborating with the Pokemon Company, which released Pokemon Sleep – a smartphone game that tracks the user's sleep. Together, they have created brochures and other materials to encourage adequate sleep. On June 26, the day of the announcement, Snorlax and a nightcapped Pikachu visited the ministry and received their letters of appointment from Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Takamaro Fukuoka. 'We hope to continue working with the Health Ministry to positively change sleep habits,' said Pokemon Company representative director Takato Utsunomiya. -- THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIAN NEWS NETWORK
Malay Mail
5 hours ago
- Malay Mail
From threatened waters to dinner tables: Study shows six endangered species sold as fish maw in Malaysia and Singapore shops
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — DNA from six critically endangered and endangered fish species has been found in fish maw products sold in stores across Malaysia and Singapore, according to a new study released last week. Researchers identified DNA from the European eel and large yellow croaker — both listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) — in samples taken from shops in both countries, The Straits Times reported today. Eleven of those samples came from the European eel, despite the European Union banning its export in 2010. 'It's not that surprising that eel maw has been sold, because you can find the eels here,' National University of Singapore (NUS) Assistant Professor Benjamin Wainwright, one of the study's authors, was quoted as saying. 'But it's interesting that the European eel is still making it here, because that should have been banned a long time ago.' The most commonly identified species was the blackspotted croaker (Protonibea diacanthus), which accounted for 58 of the 480 samples tested. The blackspotted croaker is listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List – meaning it is at risk of becoming endangered in the near future. Four other endangered species in the fish maw samples were listed as: the cassava croaker, American eel, fourfinger threadfin, and iridescent shark. The findings were published on June 24 in the journal Conservation Letters by Wainwright and Seah Ying Giat of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). Fish maw is made from the dried swim bladder of fish. It is considered a delicacy as well as a social status symbol for the rich that is believed to offer health benefits that is widely consumed across South-east Asia and East Asia. Between October and December 2023, the NUS-UMT researchers collected fish maw samples from Malaysian shops, followed by stores in Singapore from January to April 2024. A total of 39 different fish species were identified after the DNA extraction from 118 samples in Malaysia and 362 in Singapore. According to Wainwright, identifying species by sight is nearly impossible as the fish maw has been heavily processed. 'Fish maw has been processed, flattened, cleaned and washed. 'You can't determine what species the maw comes from without using genetic methods – so we have no idea of what species are involved in this trade in South-east Asia,' he was quoted as saying. Fresh fish maw is also served at some restaurants in Malaysia. — Picture by Ethan Lau He added that trade regulations are further complicated by broad commodity classifications. 'Commodity codes are meant to say, this is shark fin, this is shrimp, this is fish maw – but at the moment, all these products are lumped together and imported as dried fish goods.' Chester Gan, marine lead at Singapore's World Wide Fund for Nature urged consumers and companies to consider sustainability. 'Given that fish maw may originate from fisheries with little data, endangered species, or unsustainable fishing practices that harm vulnerable marine life, we urge both consumers and businesses to consider more sustainable alternatives,' he told The Straits Times. Gan also called on businesses to review their supply chains to ensure responsible sourcing. Wainwright said the best approach was to avoid fish maw altogether if the species, country of origin or sustainability could not be verified. 'The hope is, as more people become aware of the damage caused by unsustainable fishing, they may turn away from products of unknown origin and towards seafood from sustainable fisheries. 'Otherwise, when a species targeted for fish maw gets fished out, it's very likely we'll turn to another species and fish that one out, and then do the same for the next ones,' he added.
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Malaysian hiker survives 200m fall on Mount Rinjani trail in Lombok, suffers fractured hip and head wound
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — A Malaysian hiker has become the latest victim of an accident on Indonesia's Mount Rinjani in Lombok, after reportedly falling en route to Segara Anak Lake yesterday. According to Sinar Harian, the victim sustained serious injuries, including a fractured hip and head wounds, after falling approximately 200m before reaching a bridge leading to the scenic crater lake. Mount Rinjani National Park (BTNGR) chief Yarman confirmed the incident, which occurred around 2.20pm local time, and said a rescue operation was launched immediately after the authorities were alerted. 'Initial reports indicated the victim was still able to walk slowly despite injuries to the legs and head,' he reportedly said. 'Our team was deployed to the site to provide first aid and carry out the rescue.' He said standard safety procedures were followed, with on-site treatment administered before the victim was moved to the nearest base. If further medical care is required, the hiker will be referred to facilities such as Bhayangkara Hospital in Mataram or the Sembalun Community Health Centre (Puskesmas), he added. Yarman also reminded hikers not to underestimate the challenges of climbing Rinjani. 'The terrain is demanding. Hikers must be cautious, avoid pushing themselves when exhausted, and rest or seek help when needed,' he added. This is the second reported incident involving a foreigner on the volcano in a week. On June 21, Brazilian climber Juliana Marins, 27, died after falling while ascending to the summit, raising concerns over trail safety.
