Malaysian Grand Imam wants stern action against Cadbury.

Malaysian Grand Imam wants stern action against Cadbury. (Borneopost)

KUALA TERENGGANU: Grand Imam of the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Syaikh Ismail Muhammad, wants stern action to be taken against Cadbury Confectionery (M) Sdn Bhd following the detection of pig DNA in two of its chocolate products.

He proposed a heavy fine or closure of the factory to serve as a lesson to other food producers to ensure that their products met the stipulated halal standard.

However, he would support any decision made by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department against the company so long as the incident did not recur, he told reporters after presenting gifts to patients at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital here yestesrday.

Last Saturday, the Health Ministry confirmed the presence of pig DNA in two Cadbury chocolate samples, namely Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond.

Syaikh Ismail advised Muslims to exercise caution and to check on the halal status of food before consuming them.
“At the same time, we also hope the authorities will continue to monitor other food-producing companies to avert a similar incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Consumer Protection and Welfare Board (LPKPM) chairman Prof Datuk Seri Dr Saharuddin Awang Yahya said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) should take legal against the producer of the Cadbury chocolates.

He said the company should also apologise openly to Muslims and withdraw all its chocolate products from the market for fear they were produced using the same machine as the chocolates which were tainted with the pig DNA.

“Merely giving the company advice and warning is not enough, it should be taken to court so that it can be a lesson to others,” he told a media conference here yesterday.

The Health Ministry will conduct thorough analysis on all Cadbury Confectionery Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Cadbury) products soon to ensure that they are not contaminated by pig DNA (porcine).

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said the results of the analysis, however, would only be known in the next several months because they would have to undergo several processes and procedures before the results could be finalised.

“At present, the ministry is investigating Cadbury under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 to ascertain whether Cadbury had with or without intention put the pig DNA in their dairy milk chocolate products,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Subramaniam also did not dismiss the possibility that the pig DNA found in the two samples was due to contamination along the production chain.

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism (KPDNKK) enforcement director Mohd Roslan Mahayuddin said operators of premises found to be persistent on selling the two Cadbury products which had been recalled two days ago, would face a fine of up to RM100,000 or
three years’ jail, or both, if convicted.

He said the sentences were provided under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 and the operators of the premises could also be the retailers, distributors or manufacturers.“For a corporation, they could face a maximum fine of RM250,000,” he told reporters here.

The official decision on the halal status of Cadbury chocolates following the recent detection of pig DNA (porcine) in two of its samples will be made and announced within the next seven days pending results of the analysis by the Chemistry Department.