PETALING JAYA: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living (KPDN) will start taking firm action against those who are found selling and marketing dates imported from Israel.
KPDN Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali told the Dewan Rakyat during the Minister’s Question Time that legal action will be taken against traders in Malaysia who make false trade descriptions regarding content, type or name under Section 5 of the Trade Description Act 2011.
A Bulletin TV3 report quoted him as saying that KPDN will continue strictly monitoring businesses regarding the matter.
“KPDN takes this seriously and will take action if the ministry has any information of any irresponsible parties who take advantage and mislead consumers,” he stated.
Anyone found committing the offence under Section 5 of the Trade Description Act 2011 can be fined RM10,000 or jailed up to three years, or both. Companies found guilty can be fined RM250,000.
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He was responding to a question from Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid who wanted to know the government’s next step following the uncovering of Israeli date products sold in the country.
The NST reported yesterday (March 13), that authorities had apprehended a man after 73 packs of ‘Organic Jumbo Medjool Dates’ weighing 14.g kilograms (kg) and worth RM678 - believed to be from Israel - were seized by the Customs Department during a raid conducted by Central Zone Unit II (Selangor).
Deputy director-general (enforcement and compliance) Datuk Sazali Mohamad was further quoted as saying that Israeli products in Malaysia require a special permit from the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI).
Meanwhile, a report from The Star said Sazali who revealed that the label on the box which stored the goods “clearly states” that it is an Israeli product - brought in a sack and later repackaged for sale.
He added that the dates were initially brought into Europe, prior to its distribution to other countries.
“Based on our checks the dates were brought to Malaysia in 2022 with other food items,“ Sazali added.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.
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