KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 ― A Muslim consumer group today urged the government to standardise food testing by its agencies, after Islamic authorities today contradicted the Health Ministry on the detection of porcine DNA in two Cadbury Malaysia’s confectionery products.

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) is also maintaining its boycott of all products under the Cadbury Malaysia and Kraft Foods Manufacturing Malaysia, insisting the action is based on the Health Ministry's statement that triggered the controversy.

“We will not stand down from our boycott until KKM (health ministry) issues a denial and says 'sorry guys, we made a mistake',” PPIM activist Sheikh Abd Kareem S. Khadaied told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.

On May 24, the health ministry announced that it detected pig DNA in samples taken from the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Dairy Milk Roast Almond products already out in the market, sparking an uproar among Muslim groups.

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But the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) announced today that an analysis by the Chemisty Department of samples of the two products taken from the factory found no traces of porcine contamination in the chocolates.

Abd Kareem said today it was ridiculous that consumers have to deal with conflicting positions by government departments on the issue, pointing to a clear conflict in standard operating procedures (SOP) by the Health Ministry and Jakim in testing the products.

“What government departments should have is an SOP in matters like this. If the Health Ministry is to do an analysis, it must be usable by all the ministries.

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“It cannot be the Health Ministry does an analysis but Jakim cannot use (the results). Then we'll have everyone from Jakim to the defence ministry running their own tests, and that is wasting taxpayers money,” he said.

Taking aim at Jakim, Abd Kareem said the Islamic department should have stayed out of the whole debacle as it is an interested party due to its position as the agency responsible for granting halal certification.

The Health Ministry should similarly adopt tests whose results are admissible to all other ministries and departments to avoid the overlap that is happening now, he added.

“The crisis management is so bad. They should have a standard SOP instead of Health Ministry and Jakim having different standards. This is not 21st century management, this is simply bad management.

“PPIM is interested in making things better for the country, not just for the sake of objecting,” Abd Kareem said.