KUALA LUMPUR: THE New Straits Times Special Probes Team’s expose yesterday on the dangers and risks posed by the small-medium scale beauty industry raised alarm among the public who have been using such cosmetics.
Many registered their anger for being made to believe by those peddling the cosmetics that their products were safe. They called on the authorities to introduce better safeguards to protect their interests and for enforcers to clamp down on them.
A video on the weaknesses and exploitation prevalent in the industry, which the team prepared and published on the NST Online Facebook page and www.nst.com.my, went viral, with many shocked over indiscretions that had escaped the authorities.
Bibi Zaiton Haque wrote on Facebook that she hoped the government would take the issue seriously.
“A lot of consumers are still clueless about it. Please ensure only the legit ones are sold,” she said.
Izzatie Kamil, meanwhile, said she had always been sceptical about such cosmetics and was relieved that the matter was brought to light.
“Finally, somebody took notice of this worrying situation. There are too many ‘cosmetics millionaire wannabes’ producing their own so-called safe and halal, yet very fishy products. Most of them advertise via Instagram. My students, as young as 13 years old are (also) buying these products,” she said.
The scores of Facebook users, who shared the video, tagged their friends to warn them against using these cosmetics, whose origin is suspect, for fear of being stricken with serious health issues.