Malaysia to host food-safety hub
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A Centre for Food Safety and an International Food Safety Training Laboratory will be set up in Malaysia's state of Selangor, paving the way for the country to take the lead in food safety in the region.
The health ministry would set up the centre in Salak Tinggi, with construction planned for next year, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said while speaking to reporters after launching the International Food Safety conference in Kuala Lumpur.
“The centre will assist the ministry with scientific input needed to conduct science-based decision-making,” he said, adding that the laboratory would provide testing and research on food safety.
The laboratory will be located within the centre. The 65 million ringgit (Bt63 million) project will take two years to complete.
Liow said the project would add to the existing services provided by the ministry’s Food Quality and Safety Division.
The number of food poisoning cases so far this year is slightly higher, with 195 cases compared to 188 cases last year.
However, the number of such cases in schools this year had fallen, with 92 cases compared to 120 last year.
