‘I don’t smoke’, says Anwar, backing push to raise tobacco tax

AI Summary

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed agreement with increasing tobacco taxes, echoing public calls for a review. A strong supporter of anti-smoking campaigns, Anwar referenced the 2015 tax hike of 42.8% on tobacco, noting that rates have remained stagnant since. While Budget 2024 introduced a 5% excise duty on chewing tobacco, cigarette taxes were untouched. A Merdeka Center survey indicated two-thirds of Malaysians support higher cigarette taxes if implemented moderately.