Genuine mutton traders cry foul over meat adulteration

KUALA LUMPUR: The problem of unscrupulous traders mixing beef with mutton continues to plague the local markets.
This has affected the business of genuine mutton traders because the adulterated or mixed meat is being sold for a cheaper price.
The mixing of meat is deemed sensitive as Hindus and Buddhists do not consume beef and this has created some unhappiness among them.

One of the affected traders, who has been in the business for several decades in the Sentul market here, said customers are easily lured and cheated by the cheaper price.
"We sell imported mutton from New Zealand, which is also halal-certified for RM30 a kilo but the traders who mix beef can easily sell it for RM20 to RM25 per kilo or even cheaper.
"Our business is badly affected because of this.
"We have made many complaints to the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry as well as consumer associations, yet this problem still continues," said the trader, who wants to remain anonymous.
The trader said that this happens in many meat stalls in the Chow Kit market as well.
"The authorities should come down hard on these unscrupulous traders, who are not just cheating people but are also 'playing' with people's religion especially for those which forbid the consumption of beef," he said.
Several warnings have been issued by the ministry to the traders over the years, especially after news reports emerged on how eateries cheated customers by serving mutton dishes with meat other than mutton two years ago.
In Oct 2015, it was reported that the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Health and Environment's Food Quality Control Unit had taken samples from both Indian and Indian-Muslim restaurants, which led to the discovery that samples from some of the eateries tested negative for goat DNA.