The Health Ministry said today all 18 lead-tainted dried fruits identified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) are not sold in Malaysia.

The ministry's Food Safety and Quality Division director Nooraini Mohd Osman said data obtained from the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia, and checks at entry points showed that none of the 18 products were imported into the country.

"The ministry has acted swiftly by stepping up monitoring at local markets and all entry points following USFDA's report on its website on Oct 1 regarding the 18 dried fruits," she said in a statement.

As a precautionary measure, the ministry also carried out a Level 5 inspection on all dried fruits including dried plums and dried prunes, she said.

The ministry also carried out checks on other dried fruits apart from the 18 on USFDA's list.

"Up until now, 15 of 44 samples of dried fruits were analysed and the results showed that they did not contain lead beyond the permissible level of 2 mg/kg under the Food Regulations 1985," she said.

She called on the public not to be unduly worried over the dried fruit issue as the ministry was tackling the matter.

Information on food safety and quality can be obtained from the division's website .

Work together to save Orang Utans

orang utan in sabah 250906 In another development, Sarawak, with its 2,500 Orang Utan population, has invited international experts and non-govermental organisations (NGO) related to Orang Utan conservation to

conduct more joint research to ensure a sustainable future for the species.

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said that by coming up with more research findings, they would be able to provide come up with a more practical and comprehensive solution to provide a better future for the primates.

"Do more researches in the future than finding fault or finger pointing," he said.

"Our firm belief is still to unite our diverse capabilities into common pursuits and objectives that bring us to a new road for collaboration for the sake of the Orang Utan and our biodiversity wealth," he added.

Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Len Talif Salleh said the negative media reports of the Orang Utan in Sarawak was the work of NGOs, which were not directly involved in the conservation efforts.

He said these NGOs spread baseless information portraying Sarawak as a state destroying the Orang Utan population. - Bernama