Niaga Spotlight: How Malaysia’s new SST and RM100 aid are reshaping food access and nutrition

Rising food taxes and living costs are changing how Malaysian families eat, with the expanded 5% SST now taxing essential staples like fruits, fish, legumes, dairy, and oils. As grocery bills soar and food insecurity deepens—especially among B40 and M40 groups—Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 universal cash aid aims to ease the burden. Dr. Salini Devi Rajendran from Taylor’s Culinary Institute joins the conversation to explore how policy, pricing, and culinary education intersect to address Malaysia’s dual burden of malnutrition and obesity.