Petaling Jaya: A health think tank has urged the government to redirect subsidies for sugar manufacturers towards improving allowances for medical officers in the upcoming budget, reported Free Malaysia Today.
Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy CEO Azrul Khalib said the federal government spends around RM500 million annually on subsidies and incentives for sugar producers, equal to RM1 per kilogram of raw and refined sugar.
He argued that removing or reducing these subsidies would free up enough funds to raise doctors’ on-call allowances, which would cost the government between RM75 million and RM80 million.
“Every ringgit redirected from subsidising sugar to supporting frontline medical staff directly strengthens public health delivery and retention of skilled personnel,” Azrul said.
The health ministry recently stated that increasing on-call allowances for doctors from RM55 to RM65 would cost around RM80 million. Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad has announced that the revised rates are expected to take effect in 2026.
Azrul said the Galen Centre welcomed the minister’s commitment, stressing that the current rate was unfair and contributed to doctors leaving public service.
He added that with Malaysia facing high rates of diabetes, heart disease, and childhood obesity, subsidising sugar while underpaying healthcare workers sent the wrong message.
“Redirecting subsidies to fund on-call allowances is a win-win solution. We get healthier Malaysians and a stronger, more motivated healthcare workforce,” he said, noting that sugar subsidies undermined the health ministry’s campaign against excessive sugar consumption.
