Materia Medica Malaysiana

Bitter pill to swallow for health supplement users: PETALING JAYA: Consumers do not stand to gain big discounts with the abolishment of import duty on health supplements as not all prices of products will be reduced, said Malaysian Dietary Supplementary Association (Madsa) pro tem president Jagdev Singh.

“The products include vitamins, minerals and other locally-manufactured health supplements which do not have import tax,” he said.

He said the 10% tax reduction did not mean consumers would enjoy a 10% reduction in prices of products on shop shelves.

“Take cigarette prices, for example. They are not up by 20% since tax on tobacco products was raised by that amount. The same rule applies to health supplements, and there will not be any drastic changes in prices,” he added.

It was announced in Budget 2004 that the 10% import duty on health supplements would be abolished.

Jagdev Singh said that Madsa, which includes major players in the health supplement market, welcomed the Government’s move to “encourage the public to prevent illness rather than go for cures.”

“Madsa members are committed to spending in research and development and develop markets in other countries in line with the Government’s aspiration to become a global trading nation,” he added.

The association, he said, urged health supplement importers to pass on saving to consumers who should benefit from the tax cut.

He said that consumers could expect revised prices in the next few weeks.