The short answer
On a packaged label, “sugar-free” is a legal claim: not more than 0.5 g sugar per 100 g or 100 ml. “Less sugar” or “reduced” means at least 25% less than a named food. At a stall, kosong, kurang manis and siu dai are ordering words, not legal terms. Kosong with condensed milk still has sugar, from the milk.
A bottle has a label. A mamak order has a conversation.
The label rules set conditions for claims printed on packaged food and drinks. Stall words tell the person making your drink what you want. They do not give you a measured sugar amount.
Start with where the word appears. Then read the rest of the label, or ask what goes into the cup.
Keep the source attached to the meaning. A regulation and an ordering guide carry different weight.
| Word | Where you see it | What it means | Source/strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free | Packaged label | Not more than 0.5 g sugar per 100 g or 100 ml | OFFICIAL: Fifth A Schedule, Food Regulations 1985 (updated Aug 2026) |
| Less sugar / reduced sugar | Packaged label | Comparison with a named reference food; at least 25% difference | OFFICIAL: regulation 18D, Food Regulations 1985 (updated Aug 2026) |
| Total sugars | Nutrition label | Sugar amount listed in grams on ready-to-drink packs | OFFICIAL: regulation 18B(4), Food Regulations 1985 (updated Aug 2026) |
| Kosong | Stall order | Used for no sugar; the full drink name matters | MEDIA: SAYS ordering guide |
| Siu dai | Stall order | Less sugar; no measured amount supplied by the word | MEDIA: SAYS ordering guide |
| Kopi kosong | Stall order | One guide lists condensed milk with no separately added sugar | MEDIA: malaysia4u; descriptions differ |
| Healthier Choice Logo | Product label | Voluntary scheme; comparison within the named category only | OFFICIAL: MOH guideline, May 2020 revision |
Kurang manis is also stall shorthand. The sources here do not establish a fixed recipe or gram amount for that request.
“Free” does not mean the regulation requires exactly zero. The Fifth A Schedule sets a ceiling of 0.5 g per 100 g or 100 ml. Keep those units attached. That is not a per-bottle figure.
“Less sugar” answers a different question: less than what?
Under regulation 18D, the comparison must involve versions of the same or a similar food. The label must identify the reference food and state the amount of difference. The relative difference must be at least 25%; the regulation also includes a minimum absolute-difference condition linked to the Fifth A Schedule.
So read the comparison wording alongside the headline. Then find the Total sugars line. A percentage comparison alone does not tell you the sugar amount in the product.
SAYS describes kopi O kosong as black coffee without sugar or milk. malaysia4u lists plain kopi kosong with condensed milk but no added sugar.
Those descriptions make the extra word important. Plain kopi kosong is not a reliable substitute for asking about milk.
Regulation 95 defines condensed milk, or sweetened condensed milk, as a product made with added sugar. Evaporated milk has a separate definition under regulation 94.
“No sugar added at the stall” and “no sugar in the cup” are different sentences.
A ready-to-say question:
“Does this still have condensed milk?”
If it does, sugar from that ingredient remains. The order word alone does not tell you how much.
Look for the ingredient name on the pack.
The Food Regulations 1985 name sweetening substances including aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, erythritol and xylitol. It also names stevia extract, or steviol glycosides.
That list does not tell you which substance a particular drink contains. Read that drink’s label. “Sugar-free” gives you the sugar claim; it does not name the sweetener.
The Healthier Choice Logo is a Ministry of Health Malaysia initiative. Industry participation is voluntary.
The MOH guideline requires a statement under the logo saying the comparison is within the named category only. Read that category with the logo.
The logo is not a sugar-free claim. It does not replace the sugar wording or the nutrition panel.
The Fifth A Schedule in the Food Regulations 1985 sets not more than 0.5 g sugar per 100 g or 100 ml. It is a limit, not a promise of exactly zero.
It is a comparison with a named reference food. Regulation 18D requires at least a 25% relative difference, with the amount of difference stated.
Yes, if sweetened condensed milk is included. Regulation 95 defines it as made with added sugar. Ask whether the stall keeps it in your order.