3-5-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysian authorities conducted a raid on a convenience store in the administrative capital of Putrajaya on May 2, seizing ice cream products labelled as containing “No Palm Oil”. The move comes amid the nation’s stringent stance against perceived discrimination towards its palm oil industry, an economic cornerstone.
According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Minister Armizan Mohd Ali stated that the raid, prompted by a public complaint, resulted in the confiscation of various ice cream products worth a total of RM897.90 (S$255) for further investigation.
“All of the ice cream products were seized for further investigation,” he was quoted as saying by FMT.
In Malaysia, it is illegal to sell products bearing the “No Palm Oil” label, viewed as discriminatory against goods containing the widely utilized vegetable oil which is crucial to the country’s economy. The creamy texture of many ice creams is derived from the use of palm oil.
Armizan revealed that the case will be probed under the 2022 Trade Descriptions Regulations which prohibit such labelling for oil palm products and palm oil goods. Offenders can potentially face fines up to RM250,000 or a maximum imprisonment of five years if convicted.
The regulation, aimed at safeguarding Malaysia’s palm oil interests, came into effect on March 15, 2022. Since its implementation until May 2 this year, Armizan stated that 5,057 inspections have been carried out nationwide across the supply chain, with four cases recorded.
“Strict action will be taken against any importer, distributor or retailer that sells imported products which do not comply with the regulations,” the Minister warned, as quoted by FMT. “The offence covers statements or indicators that may discriminate against or call for the boycott of products or goods involving palm oil, the nation’s main commodity.”
The recent raid underscores Malaysia’s firm stance against techniques perceived as portraying palm oil negatively. In February, the Ministry of Plantations and Commodities stated that such labelling could mislead consumers into believing palm oil is harmful to health.
As the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, Malaysia faces pressure from the European Union’s restrictions against deforestation. In 2023, the EU introduced new rules banning goods from deforested land in a bid to combat climate change and environmental destruction.
Malaysian officials have denounced these measures as discriminatory against the nation and its neighbor Indonesia, the globe’s top palm oil producer. Plantations and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani recently urged the EU to show fairness and support Malaysia’s sustainability efforts.
Johari highlighted that 97% of oil palm plantations in Malaysia are certified under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) scheme, which mandates no deforestation activities, according to local media reports.
