PUTRAJAYA, June 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced that imported apples and oranges will be exempted from the upcoming expansion of the Sales and Services Tax (SST) on imported fruits, following widespread concerns from the public, especially the B40 income group.
Speaking at the Kota Madani groundbreaking ceremony, Anwar said the decision was made during a Cabinet meeting, noting that while imported fruits will still be taxed, apples and oranges will be spared to ease the burden on lower-income households.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, acknowledged the affordability and common consumption of apples and oranges among Malaysians, joking that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” may explain the high demand.
He clarified that the exemption applies only to these two fruits, as they were the primary concern raised by the public, while the broader SST expansion remains effective from July 1 to support local agriculture and food security.
