Mislabelled palm oil blends could hurt Malaysia’s reputation abroad, Maritime experts say
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — Palm oil blended in Malaysia must carry accurate declarations of origin, as any inacc...
Malaysia's palm oil blending industry faces potential reputational harm from mislabelled products, according to maritime experts. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu's Dr Madzli Harun stated that merely blending oil from different countries does not automatically make the finished product Malaysian in origin. The product's country of origin is determined by Rules of Origin, which consider processing methods, raw material content, and trade regulations.
Dr Madzli emphasized that blending alone cannot satisfy rules of origin requirements and that operators must demonstrate compliance with the relevant criteria to declare the product Malaysian in origin. The Royal Malaysian Customs Department, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, and the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry must scrutinize the necessary documentation to ensure compliance with regulations.
Traceability is essential to identify raw materials even after blending. Malaysia could suffer reputational damage and legal consequences if false origin declarations are discovered, especially if the contaminated product poses health risks. Maritime expert Prof Nazery Khalid added that accurate documentation of blended cargoes is crucial to avoid consumer doubts about the product's contents and potential reputational damage.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
