Najib launches ‘Begin Your Day with Honey’ campaign

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday launched the “Begin Your Day with Honey” campaign to encourage consumption of local honey daily as health food for Malaysians.

The Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Ministry, in a statement yesterday, said the campaign is aimed at instilling awareness among the public on the benefits of honey for health, fitness and beauty.

Meanwhile, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Malaysia would hold a massive promotion of its local stingless bee honey as the country’s first super food at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

“The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) is now in the process of formulating a standard for Malaysia’s stingless bee honey so that the product can be marketed at international level like the manuka honey from New Zealand.

“The standard being worked out by Mardi will also help consumers to differentiate the pure and artificial ones,” he told reporters after the launch of the campaign here.

Ahmad Shabery said ‘Kelulut Walk’ programme would be launched on National Sport Day on Oct 8 as part of the efforts to promote the nutritious value and benefits of stingless bee honey.

The ministry has appointed Sabri Ali, as kelulut ambassador, and he will walk for 50 days, covering 2,000 kilometres, to the various parts of the country, including east Malaysia, to promote the honey.

According to Ahmad Shabery, Sabri has been taking stingless bee honey not only as health drink, but also to cure laceration and cuts on his legs by rubbing honey on them.

Kelulut Walk 2016 will be organised in conjunction with the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) to be held from Dec 1 to 11 in Serdang. Bernama