26/06/2025
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐
๐ผ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ: ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ
Recently, the government announced a 5% Sales and Services Tax (SST) on selected imported food items, effective 1st July 2025. This sparked concern among many Malaysians about what theyโll be able to afford or consume moving forward.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ ๐ช๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฎ๐
๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐น๐?
According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Finance (M*F), the 5% SST only applies to imported goods, primarily imported fruits, not local ones.
Examples of Imported Foods That Will Be Taxed (5% SST)
1๏ธโฃ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐
Any fruit grown outside Malaysia will be taxed, including:
Bananas (Cavendish, ladyโs finger, chestnut),Pineapples, Rambutan
Longan, lychee, langsat, jackfruit, tamarind, starfruit
2๏ธโฃ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ
- King crab
- Salmon
- Cod
3๏ธโฃ ๐๐๐
๐๐ฟ๐ & ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐
- Truffle mushrooms
4๏ธโฃ ๐ข๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐
- Raw (unrefined) sugar
๐ก ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐ช๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ?
Itโs all about making smarter choices and supporting local producers:
โ
๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐:
Instead of imported bananas or pineapples, try Malaysian-grown pisang berangan, honey pineapples (nanas madu), or local jackfruit (nangka). These are equally nutritious, often fresher, and now more affordable.
โ
๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐:
Buying Malaysian produce helps sustain the local economy and reduces your carbon footprint.
โ
๐๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ:
Local fruits in season are cheaper, taste better, and have higher nutritional value.
โ
๐๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐:
Save high-end imports like salmon or truffle mushrooms for occasional treats rather than everyday essentials.
While the 5% tax may seem like a burden, itโs actually an opportunity for Malaysians to reconnect with local food culture, eat fresh, and support homegrown industries.
Choosing local is not only budget-friendly, itโs also a step toward a more sustainable and resilient food system.