JAKIM orders recall of Indonesian food products over porcine DNA
JAKIM director-general, Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee said the affected products may compromise halal standards and urged importers to contact the agency to arrange for their removal from the market.
'Protecting the rights of Muslim consumers and maintaining the integrity of our halal certification system are top priorities,' he said in a statement today.
The recall follows an announcement by Indonesia's Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), after a joint investigation with the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) found traces of porcine DNA in 11 batches of nine food products.
Of these, nine batches from seven products were found to have halal certification, while two batches from two products were uncertified, as listed at https://bpjph.halal.go.id/detail/siaran-pers.
Sirajuddin stated that JAKIM is collaborating with the State Islamic Religious Councils (MAIN) and the State Islamic Departments (JAIN) to monitor and inspect any flagged products that may have reached the local market.
Consumers are being encouraged to report sightings of the affected items through JAKIM's complaint portal at https://islam.spab.gov.my/eApps/system/index.do. — BERNAMA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Dzulkefly: 10,800 awaiting organ transplants
KUALA LUMPUR: Some 10,800 people are waiting for organ transplants in Malaysia, an increase of 5.4 per cent from last year, said the health minister. Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the figure highlighted the urgent need to increase Malaysia's organ donation rate, which was significantly lower compared with other countries such as Muslim-majority Turkiye and Iran. "In Malaysia, the ratio stands at only 1.33 donors per one million people, while Turkiye has reached 7.5, the United States 36.9, and Spain at the top with 50.26 per million," he said after launching the National Organ Donation Awareness Week at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa here yesterday. Dzulkefly said family refusal was one of the main barriers to the harvesting of organs despite more than 400,000 Malaysians pledging to donate since 1997. "This is the main hurdle we need to overcome. That is why this year's campaign theme is 'Warisku, Hormati Ikrarku' (to my family, respect my pledge), which seeks to ensure that the wishes of pledged donors are honoured by their families." As of July this year, 404,975 Malaysians have pledged their organs. However, only 3,359 transplants have been carried out since records began, comprising 1,121 cadaveric and 2,238 living donations. Dzulkefly said Malaysia planned to discuss organ donation at the Asean level. "I have asked for proposals to be prepared so that the issue can be tabled at the Asean health ministers' meeting later this year." He added that Malaysia's low organ donation rate must be addressed through governance reforms, better coordination at the National Transplant Resource Centre and public campaigns. Organ donation pledges, he said, had been rising steadily - with 29,960 new pledges in 2022, 31,058 in 2023, and 7,802 so far this year. Actual donations, however, remained low, with 43 cadaveric and 145 living transplants performed in 2022, compared with 82 cadaveric and 165 living transplants in 2023. Last year, there were 79 cadaveric and 135 living transplants.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Malaysia Organ Crisis: 10,800 wait despite 400,000 pledges
KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 10,800 Malaysians are waiting for organ transplants, yet only a fraction of more than 400,000 registered pledges since 1997 have resulted in actual donations, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said. He said kidneys are the most urgently needed, followed by liver, heart and lung transplants but donations often fail to proceed without family consent. Launching the National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week 2025 at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa today, Dzulkefly urged Malaysians to respect the wishes of loved ones who had registered as donors. 'Too often, organ donations cannot proceed because families withhold consent. This year's theme, Derma Organ: Warisku, Hormati Ikrarku (Organ Donation: My Heirs, Respect My Pledge), is about ensuring that donors' wishes are respected. 'If families honour these pledges, many more lives could be saved,' he said. As of July, 404,975 Malaysians had registered as organ donors, including 16,635 new pledges through the MySejahtera app. Despite this, donation rates remain low. In 2024, only 46 posthumous donations were recorded, equivalent to 1.33 donors per million population (PMP). By comparison, Turkiye recorded 7.5 PMP, the United States 34.14 PMP, and Spain 52.56 PMP. 'These figures show we are still far behind. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Iran – all Muslim-majority nations – have made organ donation a national priority. 'We must strengthen awareness across all races, cultures and religions in Malaysia,' Dzulkefly said. He said that the demand for transplants continues to rise as cases of end-stage organ failure increase nationwide. 'In 2023 alone, about 53,000 Malaysians were living with end-stage kidney failure. Dialysis is not a cure, it is only a treatment – three times a week, three hours per session. We must move beyond dialysis and focus on curative therapy – organ transplants,' he said. Since the country's first local transplant in 1975, Malaysia has successfully performed 3,359 organ transplants – 2,238 from living donors and 1,121 from deceased donors. Tissue donations, including corneas, heart valves, bones and skin grafts, are also on the rise, with nearly 200 recorded in 2024. A milestone was achieved last year when 74% of cornea transplants at Sungai Buloh Hospital used tissue donated by Malaysian citizens, reducing reliance on foreign sources. Looking ahead, Dzulkefly said the Health Ministry plans to transform the National Transplant Resource Centre into the National Transplant Centre to strengthen governance, expand capacity and accelerate innovation in transplantation. 'It can no longer just be talk, workshops or blueprints. We must leave footprints – real outcomes. Strong governance, proper coordination across centres and strategic planning are key,' he said. Malaysia will also push the organ donation agenda onto the regional stage. Dzulkefly said Malaysia would champion organ donation as a collective regional priority during the Asean Health Ministers' Meeting in 2026. 'Organ donation is not merely a medical issue, but one of compassion and sacrifice. Let us together make it a legacy of humanity, passed from one generation to the next,' he said. Acknowledging challenges such as workforce shortages, the contract doctor system and limited resources, Dzulkefly nevertheless stressed that organ donation will remain a key priority for the ministry.
Barnama
a day ago
- Barnama
Family Objections Hinder Organ Donation, Over 10,000 Patients On Waiting List
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Objections from organ donors' next of kin remain one of the main challenges for organ donation in the country, where over 10,000 patients are still on the waiting list for transplants, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He said more than 400,000 Malaysians had pledged to donate their organs, but the number is considered low compared to the current demand. 'The number of deceased donors is still small, with only 46 cases, or 1.33 donors per million population,' he told reporters after launching the National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week here today. According to him, 10,800 kidney patients are waiting for transplants, in addition to those requiring liver, heart, and lung transplants. 'The organs most urgently needed are the liver and heart, as well as tissue and bone,' he said. Dr Dzulkefly said it is time for all parties to step up efforts and take proactive measures to strengthen the organ donation agenda in the country. He added that the theme 'Warisku, Hormati Ikrarku' of this year's National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week serves as a call for the public to respect the pledges made by organ donors. 'Hopefully, with this theme guiding our awareness programmes and fostering greater consciousness, we will achieve more success in implementing organ donation, as our current accomplishments remain low compared to countries with predominantly Muslim populations such as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Iran, not to mention European countries like Spain and the United States,' he said. He said plans are also underway to transform the National Transplant Resource Centre into the National Transplant Centre as part of efforts to strengthen governance, increase capacity, and accelerate innovation in donation and transplant services, adding that the initiative is currently at the stakeholder engagement stage.
