Heed health ministry advice on disinfection, groups urge Mydin

Perak Fire and Rescue Department personnel spray disinfectant on the trolleys at a Mydin outlet. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Two consumer groups have asked the Mydin chain of hypermarkets to follow the advice of the health ministry on its disinfection process as “it is better to be safe than to face any health consequences later”.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Paul Selvaraj said the company should only use disinfectants confirmed by the ministry to be safe.

“At this point, it is best to listen to expert advice from the ministry,” he told FMT, adding that it was possible the disinfectants could have some negative effect on people.

Last week, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had said that spraying an individual with chemicals for 30 seconds was not enough to effectively disinfect the person.

He also said the chemicals used in such equipment could be harmful to the eyes and mouth.

“From our assessment, there is no proof that these equipment are effective in reducing the spread of Covid-19,” Noor Hisham said at a daily briefing.

Mydin’s managing director, Ameer Ali Mydin, had said his chain uses a quaternary-based disinfectant solution, which is 100% alcohol-free and acts as first-level protection against cross-contamination.

Ameer said the solution is recognised by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration, adding that it does not irritate the skin or the eyes.

Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam, Selangor (Cassa) president Jacob George concurred with Selvaraj, saying it was best to leave health-related matters to the ministry.

He said Noor Hisham’s statements would be based on science and evidence obtained from reports from around the world.

Businesses, he said, should avoid repercussions especially on matters involving one’s health. - FMT