Lukanisman: Diabetes a growing health crisis in Malaysia

(From left, facing camera) Hu, Lee and Lukanisman visit one of the participating booths at the expo. MIRI (Nov 25): Almost one in five adult Malaysians has diabetes and this requires a pressing need for a unified approach in diabetes prevention and management, said Deputy Health Minister Dato Lukanisman Awang Sauni. In this regard, he said the Malaysian government has affirmed its commitment to combat the alarming rise of diabetes through various advocacy plans.

“One in five Malaysians over the age of 18 is living with diabetes; it is not just a medical condition but an urgent, growing crisis that silently affects our entire communities,” he said in his officiating speech at the World Diabetes Day Awareness and Wellness Expo here on Saturday. The statistics, he highlighted, underscored the importance of collective and collaborative efforts between the government and the private sectors in addressing the country’s growing health crisis. As part of the government’s health agenda, Lukanisman said the ‘War on Sugar’ campaign, alongside other public health initiatives, aimed to restrict sugar consumption and promote a healthy lifestyle in Malaysia.



To create a healthier, stronger Malaysia, he said this has to begin with healthy living, including diet and exercise. “The fight against diabetes doesn’t start in hospitals or clinics; it starts with the choices one makes every day,” he stressed. Organised by the Interhill Group and supported by Diabetes Malaysia Miri Branch, the two-day event at Pullman Miri Waterfront here also featured various participating vendors offering guidance and health services to those living with or at risk of diabetes.

Also present at the ceremony were state Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, Interhill Group executive director Albert Hu, and Miri Mayor cum Pujut assemblyman Adam Yii..