Cruise with confidence: A mechanic pouring genuine oil into a car engine. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
PETALING JAYA: After years of fighting the scourge of counterfeit engine oil, the authorities are now cracking down on the slippery offenders.
The Trade Descriptions Order (Certification and Marking of Engine Oil for Motor Vehicles) 2024 came into force on Monday, allowing consumers to identify genuine motor vehicle engine oil from the many fake products in the market.
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Interest groups say the move will protect consumers, while helping authorities curb the sale of counterfeit oils.
The order was actually gazetted on Oct 11 last year but the government had given manufacturers six months to comply with the directives.
Under this directive, those looking to supply motor vehicle engine oil have to make an application to SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd, as the competent authority, to obtain certification and conformity label.
Engine oil here refers to oil used for lubrication of internal combustion engine motor vehicles.
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According to the Guidelines for Certification and Marking of Engine Oils for Motor Vehicles uploaded to the SIRIM QAS website, products must undergo several tests.
Upon successful compliance, the applicant will be given a certificate of genuine product licence or a batch verification report.
Successful applicants may then mark their product with the SIRIM genuine product certification.
They can also apply for the Conformity Label, which must be affixed at the top of the container lid of the engine oil.
According to the federal gazette on Oct 11 last year, corporate bodies that fail to comply with the regulation, are liable to a fine not exceeding RM200,000.
For a second or subsequent offence, they face a fine not exceeding RM500,000 upon conviction.
If the convicted party is not a corporate body, they are liable to a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three years, or both.
For the second or subsequent offence, they are liable to a fine not exceeding RM250,000 or imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.
Engine oils with the Conformity Label will be selected from the market to undergo periodic tests to confirm compliance.
Between January 2019 to February this year, 240 complaints regarding motor vehicle engine oil products were received by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
A total of 36 enforcement actions were taken, with seizure amounting to RM1,154,198.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) chief executive officer Saravanan Thambirajah said the introduction of certification labels provided an assurance to consumers that the product meets regulatory and quality standards.
“The initiative is not just about protecting vehicle engines. It’s about upholding consumer rights, safety and long-term savings,” he added.
Saravanan also said the certification should be expanded to cover other automotive related items like brake fluids and coolant, among others.
He voiced caution over irresponsible quarters attempting to forge or imitate the labels.
He proposed a mechanism similar to what is done by the Health Ministry to verify the authenticity of medication through the Meditag hologram.
Under the mechanism, users can scan the hologram using their phone cameras. and the authenticity results will be displayed.
“Buy only from certified, authorised and trusted workshops or retailers. Avoid buying from suspicious online sellers or unfamiliar platforms.
“If in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly,” he said.
