Now, Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister disagree on cause of diabetes

The Deputy Prime Minister and the Health Minister are not on the same page when it comes to what causes diabetes.

While Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic) used former Kedah Menteri Besar Tan Sri Azizan as an example to justify the ending of the sugar subsidy, Dr S. Subramaniam said sugar intake alone is not the primary cause of diabetes.

Azizan was a diabetic and had both his legs amputated immediately after the May 5 general election because of infection brought about by diabetes.

The Sungai Limau assemblyman subsequently died of a heart attack on September 26.

"The problem with Malaysia is we're prosperous,” said Muhyiddin.

"Those who died are destined by Allah, but in this world, many are eating a lot at the same time taking a lot of sugar, until... I don't have to elaborate much about the late Azizan.

"Because of this (consuming sugar), he is forced to go through the process where his legs had to be amputated," Muhyiddin was reported as saying by the Malaysiakini news portal today.

Malaysiakini reported that he made the remarks to some 1,500 people at the SMK Sungai Limau for a meet-the-people session today as part of the by-election campaign.

The Sungai Limau by-election is being called following the death of Azizan, a five-term Sungai Limau assemblyman.

In the by-election on November 4, BN's Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim will face PAS candidate Mohd Azam Abdul Samad in a straight fight.

This morning, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Subramaniam (pic) said diabetes in the country is not a product of just sugar consumption but noted that uncontrolled sugar intake can cause chronic diabetes and obesity.

Dr Subramaniam said in terms of science and nutrition, it was not compulsory to add sugar in one’s daily food intake.

"Sugar intake is a culture in the country, but we have to know that is not a necessity as it is not a need like rice or petrol.

"If a diabetic were to go see a doctor who gives this advice, they would definitely reduce sugar intake from their daily diet," he said in a press conference after attending the National Clinical Immunology Symposium in Kuala Lumpur today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in his 2014 Budget announcement yesterday, said 2.6 million Malaysians under the age of 30 were diabetic patients. Najib said the 34 sen subsidy per kilogram for sugar will be abolished from today, pushing the price to RM2.84 per kg.

However, doctors took exception to the Prime Minister's statement with one doctor rebutting the government's rationale that it was raising sugar prices to curb the increase of diabetes in the country.

Dr P. Ramesh said that Putrajaya only removed the subsidy because it wanted to spend the money saved elsewhere. He said the move would not reduce the risk of more Malaysians becoming diabetic, adding that the disease could also be acquired through heavy consumption of carbohydrates found in rice and meat.

"Many Malaysians are obese and overweight not because they consume sugar, but due to excessive intake of food and drink. The problem is compounded as many do not do regular exercise.

"So, for the government to claim that it was removing the sugar subsidy to curb diabetes is a lame excuse," said Dr Ramesh.