CHECKS TO ENSURE CLEAN FOOD

Checks to ensure clean food

KUALA TERENGGANU: The cleanliness, quality and handling of food at Ramadan bazaars throughout the state will be monitored during the fasting month to prevent food poisoning.

State Health, Unity and Consumer Affairs committee chairman Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar said similar checks conducted last year and in 2006 by the Health Department showed that food contamination at the stalls was high.


Kerabu, a mixed salad, was the most contaminated dish, followed by noodles and drinks.

The most commonly contaminated foods were those that were made by hand, half-cooked food, dishes that use coconut milk, sugar cane juice, rojak and cakes.


"From my own experience, I have treated a lot of people with food poisoning during the fasting month.
"We hope to reduce the number by monitoring the bazaars," he said after visiting the Ramadan bazaar in Marang on Wednesday.


Those found guilty of violating the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985, under which the checks would be carried out, would be fined and their goods could be confiscated, he said.

Last year, action was taken against 31 stalls throughout the state, while 1,594 items worth RM24,709 were seized.

A total of 1,114 notices were also issued.


Dr A. Rahman also said he had not received any reports about food shortages for the upcoming Raya holiday or complaints of unreasonable price hikes.


SOURCE: http://www.nst.com.my

FUEL STOCK CONCERN FOR DEALERS

Fuel stock concern for dealers

By : R.S. Kamini and Kristina George

KUALA LUMPUR: The Petroleum Dealers' Association of Malaysia wants the government to implement a standard system to measure fuel stock at all pumps.

Association president Abdul Wahid Bidin said if the retail price was to be fixed at the beginning of each month, it would be difficult for dealers to gauge the monthly stock needed to maintain a profit.

He said if the retail price of petrol was to fall to RM2.20 per litre, operators carrying a 100,000 litre stock could lose up to RM50,000.


"How are they going to control the stock? Some of us still measure our stocks manually before informing the oil companies to replenish it," he said, adding only a few stations had an online monitoring system to check fuel stock.


He said dealers and operators should be reimbursed for losses if the government did not place a proper gauging system.
The association also touched on the implementation of the self-service system (SSS), which it said would lead to less competition.


Abdul Wahid said at present some station owners were burdened by the cost of "idle" pump attendants. But he urged a delay in its implementation unless the government could reassure them that oil companies would not manipulate the ruling to their benefit.


"Some companies might try now to 'modify' the ruling, saying that the rule only states no filling customers vehicle tanks with petrol and that it does not include window washing or other services."

In June, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad announced the implementation of the SSS nationwide from yesterday.

The minister said all customers, excluding those who were aged, disabled or pregnant, would be required to fill their own tanks.


The ruling applies to all petrol stations nationwide, except small, unbranded ones in rural areas.


The number allowed in the forecourt area will also be limited to one for stations with four islands or fewer, two at stations with five to six islands and three at stations with more than seven islands.


ARTICLES SOURCE: http://www.nst.com.my


NOTE: YOU CAN GIVE YOU OPONION OR COMMENT FOR THIS NEWS.....TQ