Govt begins enforcing trade description order

KOTA BARU: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has enforced the Trade Description (Marking of Quantity for Packaged Goods) Order 2023 starting June 4 under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 which was gazetted on Oct 2 last year.

Its minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the gazette aimed to ensure manufacturers, producers, importers and wholesalers comply with the quantity marking standards on package labels for all packaged products and goods sold in the country.

He said through the implementation of this order, the ministry’s enforcement officers can conduct inspections and accuracy tests of product quantities directly at the manufacturing level to prevent fraud on the actual amount of available packaged products to be marketed.

“The enforcement of this legislation helps consumers get clear information regarding the number of products, thereby increasing consumer confidence in all products available pre-packed in the market,” he told reporters at the Eastern Zone Level 2024 KPDN Carnival Tour Programme at the Rural Transformation Center (RTC). Tunjong, here.

Armizan said besides, the industry also indirectly needs to improve internal control to ensure that the quantity of each available packaged product is accurate and does not harm consumers.

He said the creation of this order is Malaysia’s commitment to harmonise legislation in the field of measurement (legal metrology) in Asean countries to avoid technical barriers in trade between member countries.

“The ministry can also take enforcement action under the Trade Description (Marking of Quantity for Packaged Goods) Order 2023,” he said.

He said if there is non-compliance by manufacturers, producers, importers and wholesalers from the company, they can be fined not more than RM200,000, while for a second or subsequent offence, they can be fined not more than RM500,000.

Armizan said that individuals who commit the offence will be fined not more than RM100,000 or imprisoned for not more than three years or both.

“For a second or subsequent offence, one can be fined not exceeding RM250,000 or imprisoned for a period not exceeding five years or both once,” he said. – BK