KUALA LUMPUR: A food poisoning incident in Kedah that left two people dead drew a fine of only RM1,500, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic).
According to Dzulkefly, the 2018 laksa kebuk incident involved 61 cases.
"Is this penalty commensurate with the lives lost? The people bear the consequences of irresponsible food traders," he said.
Dzulkefly was responding to concerns that the Food (Amendment) Bill 2026 would burden small traders.
He was speaking during the winding-up debate on the Bill in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Oct 8).
He also cited a case at Sekolah Menengah Sains Teluk Intan, where six students were warded after eating an omelette found to contain Salmonella spp. The case drew a fine of only RM3,000.
In another case, Dr Dzulkefly the ministry seized dangerous health products, including CANDY B sweets containing the scheduled poison tadalafil, a controlled virility drug, worth an estimated RM1.129mil.
“Only seven charges were brought, with a fine of RM10,000 for each,” he said.
There were 12,899 food poisoning cases and five deaths between January and August this year, he added.
Dzulkefly said penalties under the Food Act 1983 (Act 281) had not been amended in 43 years and were no longer commensurate with the offences.
The Food (Amendment) Bill 2026 was later passed at the Dewan Rakyat.
