KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced an increase of 10 sen in the excise duty imposed on premixed sugary beverages during the tabling of the Budget 2024.

The increase from 40 sen per litre to 50 sen per litre is part of efforts to curb health risks among Malaysians, said Anwar, who is also the prime minister.

"This excise duty revenue will be channelled specifically to address and treat the disease of diabetes including support for dialysis centres,” he said.

Besides that, an excise tax will be imposed on chewing tobacco products at a rate of 5 per cent plus RM27 per kilogram, similar to the excise tax on snuff tobacco.

During the tabling of Budget 2022, then finance minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz had announced that the government intended to extend the imposition of excise duty on sugary beverage products in the form of chocolate or cocoa-based premixes, malt, coffee and tea.

The Sugar Tax was introduced in 2019 and was previously applicable at the rate of RM0.40 per litre on SSB, where the total sugar content of the beverage exceeds 5 grams/100ml2.