Malaysia will impose a Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 60 types of food items starting July 1. These include vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee and other goods, the China Press reported on Sunday (June 18).

Customs Department director-general Datuk Subromaniam Tholasy confirmed the report saying "Its only a few items not consumed by the masses."

The new items that will be levied with GST include imported fruits like avocados, figs, grapes, nectarines, cherries and berries. However, vegetables such as potatoes, long beans, peas, spinach and sweet corn would also be taken off the GST zero-rated list.

Malaysias government introduced the GST in April 2015 in the form of a 6 per cent tax on goods and services.