The government is urged to quit introducing flip-flop policies, especially in providing subsidies to sugar companies.
Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong quoted the Indonesian singer Arie Wibowo's song 'Madu dan Racun,' saying, 'Honey on your right hand and poison on your left. I don’t know which you will give to me.'
00:00 [President of Malaysia, Mr. Peter Deraja] "So, I return to the issue. I agree with Mr. Peter Deraja about the implementation of the rationalisation of subsidies. However, I feel regretful with the implementation of the basic or government action as if there is a flip-flop or there is a very severe disruption in the case of Malaysia Holdings Mahat.
00:25 Starting from November 2023, MSM has been given sugar subsidies in a very quick manner.
00:34 For 8 decades, MSM has been suffering losses.
00:38 However, when the government gives RM24 million a month, it is profitable.
00:43 According to my calculation, the subsidy is RM1 for 1 kg or RM1,000 for 1 ton.
00:50 I think the calculation is easy. RM600 million has never been discussed in the parliament.
00:59 I think even the former Minister of Health has not been referred to.
01:02 How come suddenly, we have said that we have withdrawn the sugar subsidy and we let it go.
01:12 Suddenly, without even telling, we are given RM24 million a month.
01:17 And if we use this calculation, RM600 million will be given to the consumers.
01:22 But what is more strange is that in this year, January 1, the duty excise for sugar consumption has been increased from 40% per litre to 50% per litre.
01:32 I want to ask, which one is a consistent government?
01:35 We are confused and confused.
01:37 I remember a song, "Honey is in your right hand, poison is in your left hand, I don't know which one you will give me."
01:49 It is clear.
01:51 We increase the sugar tax for a while.
01:54 We give subsidies for a while.
01:56 Which one do we want?
01:58 And I want to ask, so we can look back at this matter.
02:04 And this sugar is too much.
02:07 WHO has said that they have never suggested that we give sugar subsidies because it will affect the health of the people.
02:14 We have done it.
02:16 PH has done it, BM has done it.
02:18 We did it in 2013, 2019, sugar tax.
02:21 That was done by PH and BM, we did not give subsidies.
02:25 And I think we need to do this.
02:27 For the Minister of Education, congratulations.
02:30 I just want to ask, separate the teams.
02:33 This is the time for us to see what our problem is.
02:37 We know that COVID is one of the reasons why we are lagging behind.
02:42 But look at our score.
02:45 It is too far.
02:46 We are among the only countries that won in Asia.
02:51 I think it is time.
02:53 If Singapore is in the 5th or 6th place, they have 41%.
02:57 Malaysia is in the 1st or 2nd place.
02:59 I think the difference is far.
03:01 We need to find and make an action plan to solve this problem.
