Najib: Sugar subsidy cut good for your sex life

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has defended the government's move to abolish the sugar subsidy effective today, warning that over consumption of sugar can even affect one's libido.

Officiating the Gerakan national delegates conference (NDC) this morning, he said this was in addition to the diabetic symptoms that he had warned in his budget speech yesterday, such as poor vision, gangrene and being dependent on a dialysis machine.

"There is one more thing: Your libido might also be affected. I think if the late (Gerakan president) Lim Keng Yaik was here, he will put it in a more colourful manner.

"I leave it to your imagination. I am not going to say what I think he would have said," Najib told the Gerakan delegates, who burst into laughter. Najib spoke in the hall bearing Lim's name.

He then went on to criticise the opposition's tendency to oppose any government initiative without regard to its consequences ,and said such opposition was not constructive.

Lim, who died of old age in December last year, was known for his sometimes off-colour humour.

The abolition of the sugar subsidy effective today was announced in Najib's budget speech yesterday, translating to a 34 sen price increase per kilogramme.

“Sugar is bad for you. I too have learnt to have tea without sugar. You can change for your own good. If this is a responsible government, we must teach people the right things,” he said.

Pakatan rapped for shifting position on GST

Najib also chided Pakatan Rakyat’s for shifting its position on another controversial aspect of yesterday’s budget speech – the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

He said when the idea was first mooted, the opposition coalition opposed it outright, but then shifted to say that its implementation should be delayed.

“They have modified their position, why? Because all the market analysts say GST is good for Malaysia.

“All the analysts without exception – the market analysts, the investment bankers, the rating agencies, the entire market says the way to go is to go for GST,” Najib said.

The GST is slated to be introduced on April 1, 2015 at a rate of six percent, in tandem with the abolition of the service tax and sales tax.