Cosmetics and medication are part of our daily lives. Of course, it makes sense for them to be regulated for our well-being.

Every pack of medication and cosmetics, if it is registered under the Drug Control Authority and does not contain any restricted substances, will be given a MAL number.

Under the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984, all products contain drugs - cosmetic and medication products (unless specifically exempted by the Regulations) must be registered before they can be manufactured, distributed or imported in Malaysia.

MAL seem to be a mark on most health care product or medication and cosmetic, it is a number to show the originality of a product. In order to get Malaysian Authorised License (MAL), the manufacturer has to comply with the Malaysian Guidelines on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

After getting a MAL number, the relevant products can be sold in Malaysia market. When in the market, the products must contain the MAL number to acknowledge the consumer that it already conforms with safety standards.

I was recently informed that MAL is due to be replaced by a NOT or notification number which is only available online. Which means that, when purchasing a cosmetic, consumers cannot know whether the products are registered or not by referring to the MAL number. This is because the number would not appear anymore, and consumers who wish to know, have to go online.

The MAL registration number is a useful tool to inform consumer about cosmetic products. Consumers have the right to information and safety, so if the information is not labelled on the package, where is their safety? What is the rationale for change when MAL has already been around a long time?

Why not maintain the number for consumer reference so they need not have to go online?