theSun | WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 12 2008
news without borders
Quality check on
fish-related products
THE Health Ministry will help
the Fisheries Department,
Malaysian Fisheries
Development Authority
(LKIM) and the fishing
industries to ensure that their
products meet the stringent
standards to break into the
European market.
Deputy Health Minister
Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad
said fish-related products
manufactured in Malaysia
have yet to break into the
European market, as such
products had yet to meet the
standard set by European
countries.
“Our export of fish-related
products to Europe can only
start once the European Food
and Veterinary Offices (FVO)
give the green light after being
satisfied with the quality
standards set by them,” said
Abdul Latiff.
He was answering Datuk
Mukhriz Mahathir’s (BN-
Jerlun) question on whether
an agreement had been
No public listing
of Petronas: PM
PETRONAS shares will not
be floated on Bursa Malaysia
for public listing or be owned
by foreign companies, Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi said.
In a written reply to
Fong Kui Lun (DAP-Bukit
Bintang), he said since
Petronas’ contribution is very
important to the country, the
government will ensure it will
continue to be fully-owned by
the government.
“Petronas is the
648,163 litres of diesel
seized since June 6
A TOTAL of 648,163.11 litres
of diesel worth RM1,505,472.08
were seized in 125 cases
from the day the fuel price
restructure was announced on
June 6 till Oct 31.
Deputy Domestic Trade
and Consumer Affairs
Minister Jelaing anak Mersat
said the success was another
milestone in the government’s
effort to curb smuggling and
abuse of diesel subsidies in
the country.
“The success was due to
cooperation from all parties in
Ministry wants SEDCs to
help bumi entrepreneurs
THE Entrepreneur Development
and Cooperatives Ministry wants
all state economic development
corporations (SEDCs) to help bu-
miputra entrepreneurs to at least
own 30% of business premises
in buildings owned by them by
giving discounted rental rates.
Its minister Datuk Noh Omar
said if this was not done, it would
jeopardise the government’s
goal of ensuring bumiputras own
30% equity ownership of the
economic pie.
“Take, for example, Penang.
Bumiputras own only 143 busi-
7
reached with the European
Union (EU) for the export
of Malaysian fish-related
products to Europe.
“Since we have met the
standards set by EU, our
products had been trusted by
the EU but when FVO visited
Malaysia twice, in 2005 and
2008, they (FOV) were
not happy with the
manufacturing process and
cleanliness of the products,”
he said.
Abdul Latiff said the
Health Ministry now works
closely with the Agriculture
and Agro-Based Industries
Ministry, Fisheries Department
and the LKIM to ensure that
fish-related products met the
criteria right from the source
to the final product.
“For example, fishing
vessels used for catching fish
must meet the cleanliness
requirement. Fish caught
must be stored in ice boxes
with temperatures that meet
the specification,” he said.
biggest contributor to the
government’s income. In 2008,
Petronas contributed about
RM62.8 billion or 44% of the
government’s overall income,”
Abdullah said, adding that
Petronas subsidiaries have
been listed on Bursa Malaysia
and this had helped develop
the country’s share market.
The subsidiaries are
Petronas Dagangan Bhd,
Petronas Gas Bhd, MISC Bhd
and KLCC Property Holdings
Bhd.
the coastal areas, at borders
and all entry points to the
country.
“Checks made on wholesale
outlets, premises and vehicles
such as lorries to detect those
not eligible but had purchased
the subsidised fuel, also
helped,” he said in reply to
Datuk Billy Abit Joo (BN-
Hulu Rajang).
The government was
also planning to strengthen
enforcement in terms of
manpower and logistics, he
added. – Bernama
ness premises there which is way
too little. As such, we ask SEDCs
to lend a helping hand to bumipu-
tra entrepreneurs to address this
issue,” he said when replying to
a supplementary question from
Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian).
To a question from Chong
Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam),
he said successful bumiputra
entrepreneurs should let less
successful ones take over their
premises, but if they insisted on
keeping them, they should pay
current market rates for rental of
the buildings. – Bernama