SPEECH BY YB DATO’ LIOW TIONG LAI
MINISTER OF HEALTH MALAYSIA
LAUNCH OF NUTRITION MONTH MALAYSIA (NMM) 2008 AND
OPENING OF THE NMM 2008 “EAT RIGHT, ENJOY LIFE” CARNIVAL
SUNWAY PYRAMID SHOPPING MALL, 12 APRIL 2008
Yang Berbahagia Dr Tee E Siong,
Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Nutrition Month Malaysia
2008 and President of the Nutrition Society of Malaysia.
Yang Berbahagia Prof Dr Mohd Ismail Noor,
President of the Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity.
Yang Berbahagia Puan Shanaz F.H. Mawji,
Vice-President of the Malaysian Dietitians’ Association.
Yang Berusaha Mr Khoo Kar Khoon,
Representing Nestle Products Sdn Bhd,
the Main Sponsor of Nutrition Month Malaysia 2008.
Yang Berusaha Mr Michael Ong,
Representing Cotra Enterprises Sdn Bhd,
a Co-sponsor of Nutrition Month Malaysia 2008.
Yang Berusaha Ms Mazlyn Mena,
Representing Yakult Malaysia Sdn Bhd,
another Co-sponsor of Nutrition Month Malaysia 2008
Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen.
Ladies and gentlemen
A very good morning to all of you.
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1.
I would like to firstly extend my thanks to the National Steering
Committee for inviting me to officiate at the launch of Nutrition Month
Malaysia 2008 and the opening of the ‘Eat Right, Enjoy Life’ Carnival. From
what I have been told, I believe this auspicious occasion will propel
Nutrition Month Malaysia to a new and exciting phase. I am pleased to be
here to show my support and be part of this historic event. I firmly believe
that Nutrition Month Malaysia is a very timely and necessary initiative, and I
am glad to note that the programme has been running strongly since 2002,
thanks to the support and participation of many caring corporate
organizations.
Ladies and gentlemen,
2.
The Ministry of Health is concerned about the growing number of
Malaysians suffering from diet-related chronic diseases. This rising
prevalence appears to be at odds with the fact that we have progressed so
much, as a society, over the years. While we are able to enjoy the benefits
of affluence, we must note that it has altered our lifestyles. We Malaysians
have now become more comfortable sitting at home and watching TV or
the computer screen instead of enjoying the great outdoors.
3.
All this affluence has had an influence on our food choices. There’s
plenty to eat but, unfortunately, many of us are not making wise decisions
with regards to what and how much we should eat. Instead of using
common sense, we act on impulse. With our busy lifestyles, we would
rather eat out than at home, opt for fast foods rather than cook at home.
And, too often, we spare little thought about the health and nutritional value
of what we put into our tummies, if we remember to eat at all!
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Ladies and gentlemen,
4.
Modern living and all its trappings have made us complacent when it
comes to our health and nutrition. So it should come as little surprise that
chronic diseases are on the rise today. The facts and figures are quite
disturbing:
 Heart disease is now the leading killer in both affluent and fastdeveloping countries like Malaysia and the rest of Asia. According
to the Statistics Department, it accounts for up to 20% of all
certified deaths among both men and women in Malaysia in 2000.
In the world, it accounts for 1 in 3 deaths.
 The rising prevalence of adult-onset diabetes is another telling
sign. Our national surveys showed that there had been an
increase of Malaysian adults (above 30) suffering from diabetes,
from 8.3% in 1996 to 14.9% in 2006.
5.
A big part of the problem can be attributed to the growing prevalence
of overweight and obesity. The 2nd National Health and Morbidity Survey in
1996 reported that 16.6% of our adults were overweight and a further 4.4%
were obese, giving a total prevalence of overweight and obesity of 21.0%.
In a follow-up survey in 2006, the prevalence of overweight had increased
to 29.1% and that of obesity, 14.0%. The combined prevalence of
overweight and obesity is now 43.1%, double the figure 10 years ago. This
has resulted in a disturbing situation where almost half of Malaysian adults
may be overweight or obese. I believe that this situation is due, to a large
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extent, to a lack of proper health knowledge. For example, how many
people know that losing even a modest five to 10 percent of their weight
can result in reduced sickness and death?
Ladies and gentlemen,
6.
Today, more than ever, the public needs to be better informed and
motivated to be, and stay, healthy, especially when it comes to their diets,
physical activity, stress management and disease prevention. Although the
Ministry of Health continually tries to encourage Malaysians to adopt
healthy eating habits, lead an active lifestyle and maintain healthy body
weight, we realize that we cannot accomplish this mission on our own.
7.
We are therefore 100 percent supportive of, and very happy with, the
Nutrition Month Malaysia initiative and its mission to highlight health,
nutrition and wellness. And today, I am pleased to note that we have not
just one, but two groups – the professional bodies and the private sector –
coming together to spread the message. With this collaboration, I have no
doubt that Nutrition Month Malaysia 2008, with its holistic theme “Eat Right,
Enjoy Life!”, will make a lasting impact on the public.
8.
In this respect, I would like to thank and congratulate the Nutrition
Society of Malaysia (NSM), the Malaysian Dietitians’ Association (MDA)
and the Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity (MASO) for their
continuous efforts to promote good nutrition, health and wellness
throughout Nutrition Month Malaysia. I would also like to applaud these
professional bodies for undertaking the challenge of conducting the many
activities planned for this month, including coming out with press
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supplements, educational press articles, the NMM “Eat Right, Enjoy Life!”
Guide & Recipe Book, and this Carnival too.
9.
The Ministry of Health, on its part, will be facilitating and
complementing these activities. We will be distributing the NMM Guide &
Recipe Book through our own channels. We will also be mounting several
state-level nutrition promotion activities, which include poster exhibitions as
well as nutritional screening and dietary advice for the public, under the
banner of Nutrition Month Malaysia.
10.
We stand here today on the brink of a new dawn for Nutrition Month
Malaysia, which is poised to become a truly important community nutrition
promotion initiative in the country. I am confident that it will motivate our
fellow Malaysians to respond to its call to “Eat Right, Enjoy Life” for the
sake of our nation’s health. This is made possible by the caring companies
that have come forward to support Nutrition Month Malaysia 2008 in the
spirit of corporate social responsibility. I am sure we can continue to expect
their partnership in this major annual event in the years to come. I thank all
the programme sponsors for their support.
11.
On this optimistic note, ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great
pleasure to launch Nutrition Month Malaysia 2008 and declare this “Eat
Right, Enjoy Life!” Carnival open. Thank you.
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