Chicken meat likely smuggled in
Published on: Thursday, June 22, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: There is a possibility that the tonnes of chicken meat from the United States and other countries that were seized in the east coast and here, recently, were due to smuggling.Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister Dato' Sri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said this cannot be ruled out just like the smuggling of rice going on in the peninsula."Probably the chicken meat and parts are being smuggled (into Sabah) which is similar to the sneaking in of rice at the border of north peninsula such as Kelantan and Siam (Thailand) because rice in Siam is cheap.
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"Hence the smugglers there are taking advantage of the price to illegally bring in the staple food into the peninsula," he said, after officiating a breaking of fast with Umno Sabah Wanita at Tabung Haji Hotel, Wednesday.Tajuddin was commenting on the latest chicken meat seizure imported from the US in a big container that had a non-recognised Halal logo on its boxes at an importer's premises in Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP). Another seizure of boxes containing mixed chicken parts including those being displayed for sale in a supermarket in Telipok were confiscated during an integrated operation led by Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jheains) on Tuesday.Following the seizure, Jheains Principal Assistant Director (Enforcement Division) Abidin bin Ali Hassan advised Muslims to buy local chicken meat and dressed chicken with the recognised Halal logo as they prepare for the coming Hari Raya Aidil Fitri celebration.
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Questions are being asked as to how come the authorities failed to notice the chicken.The Daily Express reported the first bust on June 8, where several tonnes of chicken meat from US were confiscated from two supermarkets in Tawau for not having the Halal logo, which was the largest such bust in the same operation led by Jheains.
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Following the seizures in Sabah, Tajuddin, who is also Pasir Salak MP in Perak, called on relevant enforcement authorities to step its surveillance and monitoring task towards eradicating smuggling activities."Although there are one to two smuggling cases that escaped the law enforcement, I strongly believe most importantly the enforcement take stern action against errant traders or importers found making profits on poultry meat having a non-recognised Halal logo."Conducting raids and integrated operations are necessary as a measure and effort to ensure such smuggling does not recur," he said.Tajuddin said the enforcement authorities must address their shortcomings in combating smuggling activities and improve their strategies.Meanwhile, Armani said the Umno Sabah Wanita wing pledged to continue empowering their efforts to win the people's heart and to ensure their supports and loyalty will not change in the coming general election.She assured that the wing's approaches and focus would be intensified and more dynamic, efficient and competent to champion in looking after the welfare and wellbeing of the people.Armani said the wing also pledged to continue fighting and defend the party struggle and present government for the sake of the people's interest irrespective of races, faiths and political ideologies.Tajuddin who is also an Umno Supreme Council member has presented Ramadan contribution to 201 underprivileged recipients comprising of orphans, single mothers and Tahfiz students, among others.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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