Food firm, factory raided over false halal claims

PUTRAJAYA: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) raided two companies involved in food-related activities on two separate occasions following complaints of using false halal trade descriptions and false Malaysian Conformity (MC) markings.

KPDNHEP enforcement chief Azman Adam said the operation on a company that packaged and distributed light snacks in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, was carried out after it was suspected of using false halal trade descriptions and the MC markings on its product boxes.

According to Azman, the company was suspected to have included free gifts in the form of toys into the light snack package or boxes by using a halal logo and MC, which were not approved, on the product boxes.

Azman, in a statement yesterday, said examinations and checks on several documents found the company did not have valid halal certification from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).

It also did not have a Certificate of Confirmation for the toys to be provided as a free gift, which would enable the company to place the MC markings as indications that the goods had complied with toy security standards stipulated on the boxes.

The case was being investigated under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011, Consumer Protection Act 2011 and Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds from Illegal Activities Act 2001, he said.

A total of 1,700 units of toys that did not have the MC compliance markings and the documents of the company were seized, he said.

In the second operation against a groundnut and murukku factory, Azman said a check on several documents found the company had obtained a valid halal certification from Jakim.

However, Jakim had issued four notices over the non-compliance of the company with the Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) and internal halal control.