Health Ministry hunts down culprit who leaked Cadbury lab results to social media

The Health Ministry is organising internal inquiries to track down the person who leaked its test results on Cadbury products on Facebook last month. – The Malaysian Insider pic, June 20, 2014.

The Health Ministry is conducting an internal inquiry to identify those responsible for leaking its test results on Cadbury products through social media last month.

Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the director-general of Health, said a police report had been lodged on the matter and an internal inquiry was being conducted.

“We are investigating the matter. We are also looking at the system and ways to improve it, so that such a thing does not recur,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

The initial lab report dated February 27 that was circulated on Facebook last month showed there were traces of porcine DNA in Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Dairy Milk Roasted Almond bars that were tested by the ministry.

The leaked report caused uproar among Muslims in the country, prompting the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to suspend the manufacturer’s halal licence in an effort to ease tensions.

Jakim subsequently declared the products free of porcine DNA in another lab report released on June 2.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom (pic), who is in charge of Islamic affairs, said the tests were carried out by a lab accredited by Jakim on 11 samples of Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Dairy Milk Roasted Almond.

Dr Noor Hisham said apart from the internal investigation, the ministry is also working with Jakim to improve its standard operating procedures to ensure the testing methodology used by its laboratory meets the benchmark for testing halal products.

Kuala Lumpur police CID chief SAC Gan Kong Meng confirmed that two reports were lodged in connection with the Cadbury incident. One report was lodged on June 4 by the health ministry and the other was made by the public.

“We have referred the matter to Jakim for further action. Not all cases can be investigated by the police,” he said.

It is understood that the police have referred the matter to relevant governmental departments for further action as the case has no criminal element.

Following the initial report on Facebook, some Muslim groups called for a nationwide boycott of all Cadbury products.

They said a holy war had to be waged against the confectionary giant for attempting to “weaken” Muslims in Malaysia.

Products in Muslim nations are regularly checked to ensure they are halal. Besides pork, items considered non-halal by Muslims include alcohol and the meat of animals and birds that have not been slaughtered according to Islamic rites.

- TMI