27 samples taken from KR1M stores for testing

KUALA LUMPUR: Health officers have taken 27 samples of products sold at the Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) for testing to investigate DAP MP Tony Pua’s claims they are tainted.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said his officers would also be looking into the most recent claims by the Opposition that the baby formula milk sold at KR1M contravenes the Food Regulations Act 1985.

“We will definitely move in. Just wait for the report,” he said after launching a new school block of SJK (C) Serdang Baru 1 here yesterday.

Pua had on Monday claimed that the 1Malaysia Growing Up Milk contained eight times the permitted amount of Vitamin A and that it lacked key nutrients.

He had also previously claimed that the 1Malaysia fresh milk was contaminated with E coli bacteria as shown in a laboratory test.

However, Liow said they have yet to receive reports from Pua over his findings.

Hitting out at Pua, who is also DAP national publicity secretary, Liow said that he should have gone to the ministry if he was sincere about public health and safety instead of announcing it in a press conference.

“He must give the findings and samples to the Health Ministry. Now we don’t know what the samples are or what methodology was used. We don’t know how he came to this conclusion,” he said.

Liow, who is also MCA deputy president, said the Opposition was using food safety as a publicity ploy.

“Rather than continuing to play politics, why don’t they just work with us so that the supplier can be punished and the safety of the products are guaranteed?” he said.

Source: The Star Online