Kedia Rakyat To Improve Labelling

It looks like the opposition’s perennial bitching about all things BN and UMNO has some collateral benefit for the rakyat in this instance. The Health Ministry has ordered all seven Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) outlets and their suppliers to rectify labelling errors and re-adjust the composition of their food products.

This is to make sure they comply with the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985.

The order came following a meeting between health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman and MPs Tony Pua (Petaling Jaya Utara) and Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai) here yesterday.

Dr Hasan said the ministry ordered the outlets to rectify errors found in seven products that were brought to the ministry’s attention by Pua last week.

“The ministry has investigated Pua’s claims and confirms the seven products did not comply with some of the regulations stipulated in the two laws that govern the food industry.

“We have asked KR1M outlets last week to make the necessary changes.

“We thank them (Pua and Nurul Izzah) for bringing up this matter,” said Dr Hasan.

The seven products include ice-cream, mixed-fruit jam, evaporated milk and condensed creamer.

The others are canned sardines, canned curry chicken and instant whole milk powder.

Dr Hasan said the outlets had rectified its ice-cream labelling and he expected the other rectifications to be made by next week.

“These complaints are not about the safety of the food but, rather, about the quality of food that does not measure up to (industrial) standards,” he said.

Pua, who is DAP publicity secretary, was satisfied with the discussions and will wait for the ministry to take action.

“I hope Health Minister (Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai) will work towards ensuring compliance.

“I do not want to test all the products,” said Pua, who had complained that KR1M’s products were not cheap and some of them were of low quality.

To set the record straight, Pua and his cohorts resorted to digital media and went to town with the issue before calling for a press conference to again blow up the issue.

For me, a good opposition must not only highlight weaknesses in the system but must also offer solutions. Anybody can bitch about the state things currently. We need leaders who can solve our problems.

That having been said, in this particular case the rakyat benefit from the ongoing war for Putrajaya.