PUTRAJAYA: The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry is awaiting the results of a laboratory test on imitation milk formulas which were seized at several shops in Johor Baru last week.
The ministry's enforcement director Datuk Mohd Roslan Mahayuddin said the tests were to determine if the products were indeed fake.
“We need to run tests to determine if they are indeed fake before we can take further action.
“We are still awaiting the report. We will push the Chemistry Department for it,” he said.
Roslan however said the issue was most likely an isolated case, and thus there is no need to conduct a nationwide investigation.
The ministry, he said, will meet with the Health Ministry today to discuss the issue.
On Thursday, the Johor Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry seized 210 boxes of fake baby formula milk, worth about RM42,000, from five supermarkets and pharmacies in the state.
The five premises were located in Iskandar Puteri, Mutiara Rini, Taman Orkid, Nusa Bestari and Taman Daya.
The raids were conducted after the ministry's enforcement unit had conducted surveillance for the past four months.
State Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry director Khairul Anwar Bachok said the enforcement unit was informed of the existence of the fake milk formula following a case involving a baby who had choked upon consuming the product.
He said a complaint was lodged with the product’s distributor.