PUTRAJAYA: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), in collaboration with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), will take steps to remove any Indonesian food products containing porcine DNA from the local market, if such products are available in Malaysia.
Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said discussions had already been held with JAKIM to ensure prompt action in withdrawing the affected products.
“Upon receiving the information, we immediately engaged with JAKIM to facilitate the swift removal of the products from our market.
“We will coordinate with JAKIM and state-level religious authorities, based on the announcement by Indonesia’s halal authority. Immediate measures will be taken to address this matter,” he told reporters after the ministry’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, which was also attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
On Tuesday, JAKIM ordered the immediate recall of several imported food products from Indonesia after tests revealed they contained porcine DNA.
Its director-general, Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee, said the recall follows an announcement by Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), after a joint investigation with the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) found traces of porcine DNA in 11 batches of nine food products.
Of these, nine batches from seven products were found to have halal certification, while two batches from two products were uncertified, as listed at https://bpjph.halal.go.id/detail/siaran-pers.
For the record, KPDN and JAKIM regularly collaborate on matters related to halal logo misuse and consumer affairs.
