Dateline Southeast Asia

Malaysia to propose Asean-wide food safety certification

By RJ Whitehead

- Last updated on GMT

Malaysia to propose Asean-wide food safety certification

Related tags Food safety Vietnam

Malaysia intends to push for a common food safety certification system among fellow Asean member states to drive global competitiveness.

Health minister S. Subramaniam said such certification would be in the form of accreditation that would serve to provide greater access for members of the 10-nation bloc to the world market.

"With one certification, you can go to many countries in the world without any worries. Otherwise, you have to deal with every country with every standard which might vary from one another. That would make a lot of economic sense​,” said Dr Subramaniam, who will present a proposal at the forthcoming Asean health ministers meeting in Brunei.

The commonality would ensure Asean interests and its unique needs would be taken into consideration in the development of global standard without creating unnecessary, unjustified or discriminatory obstacles to food exports of Asean countries, he said.

Dr Subramaniam was speaking following the launch of the Asean Risk Assessment Centre for Food Safety in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s capital.

He said the establishment of ARAC in Malaysia, which provides independent risk assessment to analyse food safety issues of common interest to the region, would be one of the key steps moving towards a common certification.

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Nestlé breaks ground on sixth Vietnamese plant

Nestlé has commenced construction on a new US$70m factory in northern Vietnam for the manufacture of milk, coffee, confectionery and nutritional products.

Vietnam

The 10-hectare plant will be the company’s sixth in Vietnam and the second in Hung Yen province. It will add 300 new jobs to Nestlé’s existing 2,000-strong workforce in the country when it opens in May 2017.

The new factory will help bring Nestlé products closer to consumers in the north of the country and will enable Nestlé to further strengthen its supply chain, the company said in a statement. Nestlé said it has increased its investment in Vietnam from US$24m in 1995 to US$520m this year.

"The investment reflects our strong confidence in the rapid development of Vietnam economy​,” said Ganesan Ampalavanar, Nestlé Vietnam’s managing director. 

We aim to create shared value for the local community by opening up new employment opportunities, increasing more Nestlé quality products made by Vietnamese, helping to meet growing Vietnamese consumer demand especially in the northern part of Vietnam, thus contributing to the Vietnam economy growth​.”

Brunei begins to consider its own sugar tax

Brunei’s health minister has revealed that the government there is mulling a tax on sugary products in response to Britain’s decision to introduce a levy on sweetened drinks.

Sugar tax

In a parliamentary answer,  Zulkarnain Hanafi said Brunei's health ministry had been in discussions with the customs department and the finance ministry on the possibility of applying a levy to food products and beverages which contain high amounts of sugar, and even fast food chains.

Speaking to the Brunei Times afterwards, Dr Zulkarnain said such a levy would encourage Bruneians to opt for healthier lifestyles, and should be applied not just to beverage manufacturers. Although the move has been discussed, it is not yet official policy.

"At the end of the day, [the authorities] will impose the tax if they feel it is necessary to do so," the minister said, adding it is not about wanting to get money out of these taxes, but about trying to promote a behaviour that will support a healthy lifestyle​.”

Brunei is going through an obesity epidemic, with one-third of young people now overweight, and 17% of them obese, according to official figures.

Related topics Policy South East Asia Food safety

1 comment

consultant

Posted by yong kok seng,

food safety certification or accreditation?

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