Analysis on Cadbury products take time - Subramaniam

The analysis being carried out by the Health Ministry to ascertain all products by Cadbury Confectionery Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Cadbury) are not tainted with pig DNA will take some time as it has to go through various processes and procedures.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said this was to ensure the results obtained were accurate.

"When the results on the analysis of the two Cadbury products found to contain the pig DNA came out in the social media, we had just completed the analysis on three sample products from the company, he told reporters after visiting the Teluk Intan Hospital here on Tuesday.

He said the ministry had no objection if there were quarters who wanted to take action against the ministry for the delay.

Subramaniam said this in response to a call by a non-governmental organisation, Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM), for Muslims in the country to file legal action against the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the Health Ministry for the delay in confirming the matter.

On Monday, Dr Subramaniam said the ministry was investigating Cadbury under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 to ascertain whether it had intentionally or not put the pig DNA in their dairy milk chocolate products.

This followed the detection of porcine in the samples of Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond in the recent analysis done by the ministry.

Earlier, Dr Subramaniam visited a ward at the Teluk Intan Hospital which had been upgraded, at a cost of RM4 million.