2 theSun | TUESDAY NOVEMBER 25 2008

news without borders

Biscuits on
shelves here
melamine free
‘I am free after 13 years
ALOR GAJAH: All biscuits sold in the country or
exported are free from melamine contamination,
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said.
Biscuits previously found to contain melamine
have been removed and banned.
“Following the measures taken by the govern-
of struggle’
ment and the cooperation given by manufac- HIGH COURT SETS ASIDE
turers, the time has come for us to make the
announcement that biscuits in Malaysia are free IRENE FERNANDEZ’S CONVICTION
from melamine contamination,” Liow said after
visiting the Julie’s biscuit factory in the Alor Gajah
industrial area yesterday.
AND JAIL SENTENCE
He said consumers and importers need not
fear that Malaysian-made biscuits might be by S. Tamarai Chelvi contained 16 statements that
unsafe as they are manufactured in compli- newsdesk@thesundaily.com were found to be false.
ance with regulations on permissible melamine 23 in Deputy public prosecutor
content in other countries such as the United KUALA LUMPUR: The Shamsul Sulaiman told
Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and
vigil freed High Court yesterday set the court yesterday the Fernandez (right) and
Hongkong. The Health Ministry and International without aside the conviction and prosecution had recently Sreenevasan outside the
Trade and Industry Ministry were working with bond 12-month jail sentence of been served with the High Court yesterday.
the industry to ensure that biscuits made in Mal- Tenaganita director Irene complete typewritten notes
aysia complied with regulations, Liow added.
pg 4 Fernandez for maliciously of proceedings that had
Following the discovery of melamine in several publishing false news in come before the magistrate’s proceeding with our cross- The public gallery
biscuits exported especially to Asian countries, 1995, ending the longest- court. “After thoroughly appeal,” he added. broke out in applause upon
the government acted quickly to identify the running trial in Malaysian studying the notes, the Public Fernandez’s lawyer M. hearing the judge’s order.
source of the melamine, subsequently found to legal history. Prosecutor has decided that Puravelan then applied for Outside the court,
be from ammonium bicarbonate imported from Justice Datuk Mohamed the interest of justice will not the conviction and sentence Fernandez told reporters
three factories in China. “The government has Apandi Ali acquitted be served by opposing this be set aside under Section she was relieved and happy.
banned the import of ammonium bicarbonate Fernandez after the prosec- appeal,” he said. 316 (b) (1) of the Criminal “I am free after 13 years of
from three factories in China,” Liow said. ution informed the court “The decision not to Procedure Code. struggle,” she said.
To regain public and market confidence, the that it was not opposing her oppose this appeal is “In light of the DPP Parliamentary Opposition
government has issued a letter to explain and appeal against conviction made after taking into not opposing, there is no Leader Datuk Seri Anwar
convince the authorities in importing countries and sentence on the ground consideration the recently necessity to deliberate on this Ibrahim and his wife Datin
of safety measures adopted by Malaysia. This that the appeal record was discovered systemic error appeal further,” Mohamed Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan
will be followed by sessions to explain the matter incomprehensible. which is manifested in the Apandi said before setting Ismail and Bar Council
overseas, especially in identified export markets, Fernandez, 62, was records, and the peculiar aside the conviction and chairman Datuk Ambiga
Liow said. convicted by a Kuala Lum- set of circumstances of this sentence as well as the Sreenevasan were also
He said the Health Ministry would make it pur magistrate’s court on appeal. We will also not be prosecution’s cross-appeal. present.
easier to export biscuits with a letter of acknowl- Oct 16, 2003 for publishing
edgment stating that the biscuits being exported a memorandum containing
were in compliance with the melamine content false news at the Tenaganita
allowed in the importing countries. Towards this office at 28C, Lorong Bunus
Enam, off Jalan Masjid India hit US$50 (RM180) per barrel.
end, Malaysia is in addition to its own laboratory
facilities, also using the Singapore government’s
facilities to analyse melamine content.
on Aug 25, 1995.
The memorandum briefs “This development was beyond expectation,
the oil price dropped significantly. We will discuss
entitled “Abuse, torture and the direction that we will take – do we want to
Liow expressed satisfaction with biscuits
fix a floor price or continue with the present
produced in the Julie’s biscuit factory here, say- dehumanised conditions NEAC to decide on system where we reduce the price when the
ing they satisfied a high food safety standard. of migrant workers in
– Bernama detention centres” allegedly fuel price mechanism price drops?
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Economic Action “If we fix a floor price, how low should it be,
Council (NEAC) will meet on Monday to decide on a or should we adopt a managed float system,” he
feasible and more stable mechanism to determine told reporters after opening the Heads of Asean
fuel prices. Intellectual Property Offices Conference here.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister The fuel price is currently adjusted on a
Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said yesterday the fortnightly basis based on the market price.
council would deliberate on whether to set a floor – Bernama
price or fix a managed float system, following a
gradual drop in the world crude oil price which has Umno will do more to check
money politics: Najib
LIMA: Umno will take several more meas-
ures to check money politics, Umno deputy
president Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak said,
adding that the issue should be addressed in
a more comprehensive manner.
Realistically, however, the problem can-
not be resolved in the very near future and
efforts to eradicate it should be supported
by a strong political will and commitment, he
said when asked to comment on a statement
by former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir
Mohamad that money politics would still
haunt Umno even after Najib takes over the
party leadership.
Najib said this to Malaysian journalists
after attending the last day of the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit here
on Sunday. He said addressing money politics
involves a process that needs a time frame.
“Because even during the time of Tun Dr
Mahathir, he had initiated efforts to eliminate
money politics, and when he had relinquished
the posts of prime minister and Umno presi-
dent, he expressed disappointment at failing
to check the problem.” – Bernama

Shah Rukh Khan to receive

Malacca award on Dec 6
MALACCA: Popular Indian actor Shah Rukh
Khan has agreed to come to Malacca on Dec 6
to receive his Datukship.
Shah Rukh Khan, 43, was bestowed the
Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka, which carries the title
“Datuk”, in conjunction with the 70th birthday of
Malacca Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Mohd Khalil
Yaakob on Oct 11. He was unable to come on
Nov 29 as originally scheduled because of work
commitment. – Bernama