PASIR GUDANG, Aug 19 — The government is studying the best method to reduce national dependence on imported raw sugar supply, which is currently totally imported from abroad.

Acting Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said this was to overcome problems with the supply of raw materials that could be affected by factors beyond Malaysia’s control, such as geopolitics and natural disasters.

"Domestically there is sugar (but it’s processed sugar), but we fully import our raw sugar supply from other countries,” he said, adding that currently Malaysia only receives its supply from Brazil compared to Thailand and India previously.

Importing raw sugar from abroad was done as the cost was much lower than producing it domestically

"We need to think long term about the production of supply to meet consumers’ daily demands. We need to ensure even if we aren’t fully self-sufficient, we need to have a supply we can obtain domestically.

"Even if we know there are certain crops with higher costs if produced in Malaysia compared to foreign supply, we need to think of the strategy, maybe we might spend a bit more, what’s important is that the supply is disrupted,” Armizan told reporters after officiating the Mega Rahmah Sale programme at grounds of the Pasir Gudang City Council Indoor Stadium here today.

He added that the Mega Rahmah Sale programme has been carried out at 1,229 locations throughout the country and benefited 2.1 million consumers from January till July 31 this year. — Bernama