PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia will impose a Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 60 types of food items starting July 1.

These include certain types of seafood, vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee, spices and noodles, China Press reported on Sunday (June 18).

Customs Department director-general Datuk Subromaniam Tholasy confirmed the report and said a full statement would be issued on Monday.

"It's only a few items not consumed by the masses," he said.

The new items that will be levied with GST include eel, swordfish and 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.

Other items include bee hoon, kuey teow, laksa mee and coconut oil.

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