Govt To Start Monitoring Bubble Tea Phenomenon In Malaysia

If there’s anything the nation should be remembered for in 2019, it should be the year bubble tea conquered Malaysia by storm.

From all sorts of variant of drinks imaginable under the sun to incorporating those chewy bubble balls into food (read: rice, hotpot, ice cream etc.), it seems that there’s no stopping the boba craze.

ALSO READ: Boba Beer Is Proof That The Bubble Tea Trend Has Gone Too Far

With more and more bubble tea shops sprouting like mushrooms after the rain, the government has decided to start monitoring the situation.

Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad says that the ministry will start monitoring the bubble tea trend that’s growing at a rapid pace.

Don't understand how some of you can drink this every single day.

“If there is the need to meet with the traders, we will do it. But for now, we don’t have plans to do so,” Dr. Dzulkefly told Astro Awani.

“Bubble tea is a very popular drink right now but I hope Malaysians will make smarter choices when it comes to consuming drinks with high sugar levels such as bubble tea.”

ALSO READ: Study: Bubble Tea Has An Alarmingly High Sugar Content

He added that the introduction of the sugar tax may help tackle the phenomenon as the higher price point will make bubble tea a little bit more inaccessible.

“Because of this, sellers will have to think outside ofthe box to create healthier drinks due to the sugar tax.”

“The best way to control the bubble tea craze is actually self-awareness on the negative effects of the tea. Self-censorship is important not only to buyers but also sellers.”