Galen Centre Launches 2027 Briefing Note For Higher Cigarette Excise Duty

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy today launched a new briefing note, “Year 2027: Raise and Restructure Cigarette Excise Duty,” calling on the government to use Budget 2027 and the upcoming year to introduce a substantial corrective increase in cigarette excise duty and establish a predictable five-year tax pathway to 2031.

The briefing note recommends increasing cigarette excise duty from the current RM0.42 to RM0.65 per stick in 2027, followed by scheduled increases to RM0.72 in 2028, RM0.80 in 2029, RM0.88 in 2030 and RM0.95 by 2031. The proposed 2027 increase would add RM4.60 in excise duty for a 20-stick pack.

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