It's a Wrap for MADSA 11th Council

On June 1, 2025, we held an appreciation lunch for the 11th Council and Regulatory Sub-committee, who served during the 2023-2025 term.

On the same day, we held our 22nd AGM at Sheraton PJ and the 12th Council and Regulatory Sub-committee were elected.

We appreciate the service rendered by 11th Council Members:

• President - Dato' Dr. Rajen Manicka
• Vice President - Adj Prof Dean Lee
• Secretary - Ms Shaqira Azlan
• Treasurer - Mr Shukry Bebit
• Committee Member - Mr Balaji Ragagopal
• Committee Member - Ms Debbie Yeoh
• Committee Member - Ms Subashni Sundarasan
• Committee Member - Ms Gan Huey Hsin
• Committee Member - Ms Lim Soo Li
• Advisor - Mr. Steven Chin

A special thanks goes out to the Regulatory Sub-committee that played an active role. It's members were:

• Mr. Kenneth Cheong (Head)
• Ms. Chandrika Balachanrun
• Ms Ton Soo Hoon
• Mr. Brian Choo
• Mr Muthu Shanmunghom

The 11th Council embarked on a project to adovate for the Government to include health supplements purchases in the Income Tax Lifestyle rebate category. Unfortunately, it wasn't successful.

The rationale for this outcome was to encourage Malaysian residents to consume supplements to improve their nutrition levels to reduce disease risk.

Almost every disease and health condition is the result of poor nutrition. To enhance nutrition, nutrient-dense food is the best way to achieve it.

Unfortunately, healthy food is not affordable for most Malaysians. Despite spending the most on food among South East Asian countries, it's also the only country in the region to have the triple burden of disease among children - stunting, obesity, and anemia. 

Touchline - food is expensive in Malaysia, vis-à-vis GNI and GDP.

MADSA acknowledges that nutrition should primarily be obtained from food. MADSA also recognises that the micronutrient content in food has declined steadily over the years due to modern agricultural practices.

The most cost-effective and efficient way to reverse malnutrition is via health supplements. 

Everyone knows that prevention is better than a cure. But fiscal policy doesn't reflect this.

Pharmaceutical products are exempt from import duties and SST. Health supplements, on the other hand, are subject to SST, and some ingredients and finished products are levied with import duties.

This is a situation where prevention is better than a cure is not practiced.

MADSA believes that health supplements should be the first line of defense against malnutrition, after food. Drugs should be viewed as a second-line treatment, after good nutrition interventions have failed.

Hence, MADSA advocates for a level playing field with pharmaceuticals.

MADSA's research has shown the power of using health supplements in boosting health among Malaysians:

1. 4.9% relative risk reduction of cardiovascular events with omega-3
2. potential hospital utilisation costs savings of RM42.44 million per year with omega-3 and vitamin B 

In light of these data, MADSA encourages the Ministry of Finance to undertake the following fiscal policies:

A) include health supplements purchase in the Income Tax Lifestyle Rebate category

B) eliminate SST on health supplements

C) remove import duties on ingredients for supplements and finished products