‘BN flouting own rules with mineral water’

PKR consumer bureau chief Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri says the Barisan Nasional brand mineral water violates three Acts that could cost the ruling part millions of ringgit.

PETALING JAYA: The Barisan Nasional mineral water could cost the ruling party millions of ringgit in fines as it violates the Trade Descriptions Act, the Halal Act and the Food Act, PKR said today.

“The Acts mention clearly that the source of the water must be stated on the water bottle,” PKR consumer bureau chief Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri said at a press conference today.

“Another rule is that the bottled water must be manufactured and packed near the source of the water itself. Thirdly, the contents of the water must be mentioned on the bottle.

“But BN has failed to adhere to all of this and is violating the very Acts it created,” he said.

Instead, the blue-bottled water, which BN regularly distributes for free to the public during its programmes, merely has the party logo, the logo of local brand Nurani and halal logo, said Mohd Yahya.

“If any agency is found to have violated these Acts, they can be fined up to RM10 million and imprisoned,” he claimed.

Mohd Yahya said that the bottled water was proof BN would not hesitate to cheat and defraud the public of millions of ringgit.

He also said he was confident that the contents of the bottle was not mineral water, as claimed by its label, but instead distilled water.

Unlike bottled mineral water, bottled distilled water must use only white caps as stipulated in Section 360 of the Food Act, said Mohd Yahya.

But the BN bottled water used blue caps, which was a further violation of the Food Act if the source of the water were Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), which Mohd Yahya suspected.

“BN is lying to the public… something that would only cost them RM1, actually costs them billions,” he said.

Mohd Yahya said he would be lodging a report over the bottled water to the Health Ministry; Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism as well as the Malaysia Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) soon.

He said he had turned to the media before making the report because he was sure the government agencies would not take action.