Imported food from China to undergo checks as precaution

KUALA LUMPUR: Imported food products from China will undergo strict checks at all entry points nationwide, says Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.

The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister said the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) would conduct the checks.

He said although Malaysia did not import any food products from Wuhan, which was associated with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and there was no evidence indicating the spread of the epidemic through food, security controls and inspections should be carried out as a precautionary measure.

“The infection could be transmitted from human-to-human and does not involve food but I have directed Maqis to conduct the checks.

“At least from now they can carry out random checks on specific products such as meat or fruits,” he said after attending the Petronas and Agrobank Strategic Partnership: B40 Empowerment Programme signing ceremony yesterday.

The partnership offers micro-financing worth RM100mil to B40 micro-entrepreneurs in the agricultural and agro-based sectors.

The financing investment allocation will be disbursed over five years and managed by Agrobank’s B40 micro-financing facilities programmes.

Also present at the ceremony were Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Petronas president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin and Agrobank covering president and CEO Khadijah Iskandar.

Salahuddin said the government would continue monitoring the development of the coronavirus infection to keep tabs of the current situation. — Bernama