Sivanesan said the practice of adding fluoride into water stopped in 2016 after the Health Ministry halted subsidies. ― Picture by Farhan Najib

IPOH, Sept 21 ― The Perak state government will talk to the Perak Water Board (LAP) to include fluoride in its water supply to help maintain people’s dental health.

State Health committee chairman A. Sivanesan said the practice of adding fluoride into water stopped in 2016 after the Health Ministry halted subsidies.

“LP used to get RM1.06 million from the ministry to add in fluoride into water which works out to be 59 sen per person annually.”

“But it was stopped since 2016 and the effects are starting to show where people are having high level of teeth-related problems,” he said.

Sivanesan said the state would talk to LAP and ask if they could add fluoride in its water supply as part of its corporate social responsibility.

He was speaking to reporters after opening a public health awareness campaign held at the Ipoh Parade here today.

On a separate matter, Sivanesan urged religious authorities to encourage organ donation during sermons.

“Some patients have been waiting for organs for years and it will help greatly if more people signed up to be organ donors,” he said.

He said in Malaysia, most organ donors are Chinese.