Labels must be visible in a font size 10mm and above

Lee further said the proprietors would certainly abide by the regulation if given the time to understand it and prepare as they did not want to jeopardise the harmony in the state.

“This spirit must be safeguarded as stated by our Chief Minister,” he said.

Sarawak Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism ( KPDNKK) chief enforcement officer Abd Hafidz A. Rahim on Tuesday pointed out that under the Trade Descriptions Act 2013, goods made from parts of pigs or dogs can be sold as long as they are displayed separately from other items and labelled ‘ Made of Pig’ or ‘ Made of Dog’ or any label that has the same message.

Labels must be visible and written or printed in a font size not less than 10mm and written in the national language besides other languages and offenders can be fined up to RM100,000 or jailed not more than three years or both while companies can be fined up to RM250,000.

Meanwhile, a survey in the city yesterday showed that most of the hardware shops and retail outlets in Miri had started taking steps to segregate non-halal products and putting up labels on hog bristle paint brushes and similar products while some had removed them from the shelves to avoid being penalised by the enforcement agency.

KPDNKK Miri branch enforcement officers also inspected hardware shops yesterday, including some in Krokop, but no details on the operation were available.

The business community has been rattled by this latest development following complaints by Muslim consumers who want clear- cut labelling to avoid confusion on products origin.

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia ( PPIM) as reported in Malaysiakini yesterday said not only pig bristle paint brushes but all porcine- based products should have ‘logo babi’ ( pork logo) to avoid confusion among Muslim consumers,

Its president Nadzim Johan claimed that the association had been receiving complaints from Muslim consumers who had accidentally purchased such products, and wanted the government to request the manufacturers to label the products accordingly.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, he also said all consumers are entitled to know what ingredients are contained in products before making a purchase.

He alleged that food products, footwear, kitchen utensils and certain clothing available in the market also contained porcine elements.