World · Malaysia Bureau
Malaysia needs national food safety alert system, says Zaliha
The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister has called for the establishment of a coordinated national alert mechanism to address food safety concerns. Dr Zaliha Mustafa has also raised questions about the Health Ministry's capacity to enforce expanded food safety regulations.
LSN Malaysia ·
Dr Zaliha Mustafa has urged the government to implement a comprehensive national food safety alert system to better protect consumers and coordinate responses to contamination incidents across the country.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister's appeal comes as Malaysia continues to strengthen its regulatory framework governing food production and distribution. A more integrated alert system would enable faster information-sharing between relevant agencies and the public when foodborne hazards are identified, she indicated.
Dr Zaliha has also questioned whether the Health Ministry possesses sufficient personnel and laboratory resources to effectively enforce the expanded Food Act. The regulatory overhaul significantly broadens the scope of food safety standards and compliance requirements, creating additional demands on enforcement agencies.
The timing of her remarks underscores ongoing concerns within government about the adequacy of existing infrastructure to manage food safety across Malaysia's diverse and complex supply chains. Industry observers have similarly flagged the need for better coordination between federal and state-level health authorities to close potential gaps in food safety oversight.
The Health Ministry has not yet responded to inquiries regarding resource allocation for Food Act enforcement or timelines for implementing a national alert system.