Day: May 28, 2024

PUTRAJAYA, The Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued an order to immediately stop the sales of two Indian spice products, Everest Fish Curry Masala and MDH Curry Powder, suspected to contain ethylene oxide.

The ministry called on traders, including online sellers with stocks of these products, to cease sales, while all e-commerce platforms and social media were urged to immediately stop advertisements for these food items.

‘Ethylene oxide, often used to kill pests, also controls microbiological contamination in spices from bacteria, viruses and fungi, and acts as an active ingredient in cleaning agents.

‘Its use in food and food-contact materials is not permitted due to its carcinogenic nature,” the ministry said in a statement today.

MOH said a review of data through Malaysia’s Food Safety Information System (FoSIM) until last April revealed only one importation of the Everest Fish Curry Masala brand.

MOH reported no imports of the MDH Curry Powder brand into Malaysia.

‘The ministry, via the Food Safety
and Quality Programme (PKKM), conducts ongoing inspections and enforcement at entry points nationwide,’ read the statement.

Currently, the ministry is monitoring aflatoxin, heavy metals and pesticide residues in spice products at all entry points into the country.

Monitoring from 2019 to last April found that 43 samples met legal food safety requirements.

“MOH remains vigilant and concerned about anything that might endanger consumer safety,” said the statement.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, The Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued an order to immediately stop the sales of two Indian spice products, Everest Fish Curry Masala and MDH Curry Powder, suspected to contain ethylene oxide.

The ministry called on traders, including online sellers with stocks of these products, to cease sales, while all e-commerce platforms and social media were urged to immediately stop advertisements for these food items.

‘Ethylene oxide, often used to kill pests, also controls microbiological contamination in spices from bacteria, viruses and fungi, and acts as an active ingredient in cleaning agents.

‘Its use in food and food-contact materials is not permitted due to its carcinogenic nature,” the ministry said in a statement today.

MOH said a review of data through Malaysia’s Food Safety Information System (FoSIM) until last April revealed only one importation of the Everest Fish Curry Masala brand.

MOH reported no imports of the MDH Curry Powder brand into Malaysia.

‘The ministry, via the Food Safety
and Quality Programme (PKKM), conducts ongoing inspections and enforcement at entry points nationwide,’ read the statement.

Currently, the ministry is monitoring aflatoxin, heavy metals and pesticide residues in spice products at all entry points into the country.

Monitoring from 2019 to last April found that 43 samples met legal food safety requirements.

“MOH remains vigilant and concerned about anything that might endanger consumer safety,” said the statement.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

President of the Senate, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, received a courtesy call by the board of directors of the Khmer Artists Association, at the 7 January Palace in Phnom Penh this morning.

In the meeting, Oknha Mrs. Mao Chamnan, the newly elected President of the Khmer Artists Association, briefed Samdech Techo Hun Sen on the association’s background and key activities, and recalled the support and assistance from Samdech Techo and his spouse to the association.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen congratulated Oknha Mrs. Mao Chamnan on her election as President of the Khmer Artists Association, believing that in this new mandate, the association can overcome the difficulties that have arisen in the past through restructuring its management and strengthening the morale of artists.

The senate president also recalled the phase of arts revival after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime on Jan. 7, 1979 and the gathering of human capital, especially after Cambodia achieved complete peace thanks to the Win-Win
policy in 1998. ‘Since then, our country turned to a new stage, i.e. the stage of conservation and development. We preserving the existing things while striving to innovate,’ he said.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen also touched on intellectual property, which is difficult to protect due to the rapid evolution of technology, and on artificial intelligence (AI), which will more and more replace humans in their work.

Besides, the former Prime Minister gave some recommendation to the Khmer Artists Association as well as the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in order to maintain the value of all artists and ensure new generations of artists.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen called on the local media to form a production team to promote the association’s activities, through websites, YouTube, TikTok and so on.

At the same time, Samdech Techo decided to support the Khmer Artists Association with US$100,000 per year for five years, from 2024 onwards.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

KUALA TERENGGANU, Terengganu government, through Terengganu Foundation (YT), today signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah (UniSHAMS) for the purpose of sending students in the field of medicine.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the agreement was a follow-up to the collaboration signed two years ago to open up placement for students, especially in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme.

He said with the agreement, students sponsored by YT will be sent to study at UniSHAMS which has the same quality as foreign institutions.

‘A total of 50 students have been sent to study medicine and dentistry abroad under the Biasiswa Skim Cemerlang programme, implemented since 2019.

‘However, global factors such as economic instability and geopolitical uncertainty have caused the costs to rise. As a proactive measure, the state government intends to open up domestic study routes as an alternative
,’ he said when speaking at the MoA signing ceremony at Wisma Darul Iman.

Also present were Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Sanusi Md Nor and Terengganu Education, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Human Development Committee chairman Datuk Satipul Bahri Mamat.

Commenting further, Ahmad Samsuri said the selection of UniSHAMS as a study centre was due to the fact that the cost is lower compared with other private institutions of higher learning (IPTS).

In addition, it is also recognised by the accreditation bodies of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).

‘UniSHAMS, which is fully owned by the Kedah government, is the best choice in terms of quality, teaching staff, facilities and the lowest cost of study compared with other IPTS.

‘We have sent a total of 13 students to UniSHAMS and they all managed to maintain excellence in the recent exams,’ he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Minister of Commerce of Cambodia H.E. Mrs. Cham Nimul received a farewell call from H.E. Mohammed Abdul Hye, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, at the ministry here on May 27.

During the meeting, both sides discussed and exchanged views on mechanisms to strengthen bilateral trade cooperation, according to the Ministry of Commerce’s news release.

H.E. Minister informed the outgoing ambassador of Bangladesh of the positive growth of the trade volume between Cambodia and Bangladesh in the first four months of 2024 and requested that Bangladesh’s side consider and set the schedule for the 1st meeting of the Joint Trade Council.

In addition, H.E. Mrs. Cham Nimul asked the Bangladeshi side to continue to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on Rice Trade between the two countries.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse