KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has clarified that several brands of rice, which are said to be fake and made from plastic, had not been imported into the country.

The brands are Kokeshi Rice, Kohinoor Basmati Rice dan NICR.

In a statement today, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry had been monitoring the types of rice available in the local market and can confirm that the fake rice are not sold in the country.

"As stated in a press release by the ministry on May 21 in 2015. rice imported into the country are usually from Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan as confirmed by Bernas (Padi Beras Nasional Bhd).

"Bernas also added that all the rice are imported in bulk and packaged locally in a variety of sizes," he said. With the clarification, he said the public need not worry about fake rice as the monitoring and enforcement of food safety are constantly carried out to ensure that food available in the market is safe.

Should consumers have doubt on the safety of a particular food item in the market, Dr Noor Hisham said they can make a complaint to the ministry through the state Health Department or the nearest district Health Office.

Complaints can also be made at ministry's website, http://moh.spab.gov.my and the Facebook page of the ministry's Food Safety and Quality Division at www.facebook.com/bkkmhq.

In June last year, the Health Ministry had also clarified allegations on fake rice. A producing factory in Kedah was alleged to produces fake rice, which was untrue and baseless.

Resource : New Straits Times Online