Malaysian obesity proves country’s prosperity, says ruling party MP

KUALA LUMPUR — Obesity related deaths and diseases debunk Opposition claims that Malaysia was not prospering, said a federal lawmaker from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition on Wednesday (March 7).

Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Bung Moktar Radin claimed the South-east Asian nation was fortunate as its people could afford to overeat.

“This country, in terms of food, I feel this country is the one that is most blessed... More people who die, die from overeating,” he said.

“Many are obese, have diabetes, many have high blood pressure, many have heart diseases, because they eat meat everyday, they eat chicken meat everyday!.”

He then offered to bring Opposition lawmakers to countries where residents must scavenge for food.

Last year, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s report on obesity named Malaysia as having the highest obesity prevalence in South-east Asia.

The report noted that the overweight and the obese make up nearly half of the country’s 30 million populace.

It said the prevalence of adults who are obese was at 13.3 per cent, while the prevalence of those who are overweight is at 38.5 per cent.

Factors like Malaysians’ love for food and their strong culture of entertaining guests with food contributed to the obesity problem, the report noted.

Only a third of Malaysian adults had ever exercised, while only 14 per cent exercised adequately, the report further said. AGENCIES