KUALA LUMPUR – The importer of Medjool dates from Israel has apologised, saying it did not intentionally order the goods.
It also stressed that it does not have business directly with Israel and has never infringed regulations on imports, the company, Matahari Sdn Bhd, said in a statement reported by several media.
It said the dates were imported from its supplier in Greece in June 2022 and came in a shipment of mixed goods.
The dates were then repacked and labelled with details, including the product’s origin. This is in keeping with the company’s procedures to qualify for organic certification.
“Ignorantly and, in hindsight, without being sensitive to the issue, we then labelled the product, including listing Israel as the origin.
“We only realised the mistake and its implications when it was brought up as an issue on social media and we were contacted for comment on Monday, March 11. We immediately contacted our resellers and recalled the product.
“Matahari Sdn Bhd would like to apologise to our partners and customers, as well as to our staff who have been impacted by the incident.
“We share the concerns of our fellow Malaysians, particularly those of the Muslim communities, and would like to affirm that we do not support Israel in any way,” its statement said.
Deputy director-general (Enforcement/Compliance) of the Customs Department, Datuk Sazali Mohamad, also provided the media with the company’s explanation.
He also confirmed raids on three premises in Selangor on March 12 to seize 73 packs of ‘Organic Jumbo Medjool Dates’ originating from Israel. The total seizure weighed 14.6kg and was estimated to be worth RM678.
In Parliament yesterday, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said, apart from action by the Customs Department, his ministry will also act against parties who breach the Trade Description Act 2011 for misleading their consumers. – March 15, 2024