Malaysian MP at last passes Animal Feed Bill

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar said the Animal Feed Board would supervise the quality of animal feed and supplements through import, production, sale and consumption controls.

 

On the 14-year delay in tabling the Bill, he said the government had to consider its readiness as well as that of the industry in terms of the need for capacity development and to ensure effective implementation and enforcement.

 

"Besides, careful studies were also needed so that its implementation is in line and does not overlap other laws such as the Poison Act 1952 and Food Act 1983 so that all the laws complement each other in accordance with the food safety concept from farm to table," he said.

 

Efforts to draft the bill on animal feed began in 1995 but it was only discussed in Parliament this year.

 

Touching on the issue of usage including the use of drugs and chemicals in animal feed, Noh said that with the Bill, all farms would be required to undergo inspection so that the misuse of prohibited drugs and chemicals could be detected.

 

Among banned chemicals often found in animal feed are beta agonist, dioxin, nitrofuran, chloramphenicol and flouroquinolone.

 

The regulations to be drawn up under the Act would also take into consideration halal requirements, Noh said. This would be enforced through labelling so that buyers would have options, he added.

 

To enhance monitoring and implementation a "traceability system" will be introduced. Also a database will be developed to keep all information in each chain of production such as the import of raw materials, manufacturing, storage, marketing and use.