Ministry orders temporary suspension of milk distribution in Sabah schools
PENAMPANG, May 30 — The Health Ministry has issued a temporary stop order to the distribution of milk in all schools in Sabah following the recent food poisoning incidents involving schoolchildren in the state.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said all schools in the state should adhere to the instruction until all investigations mounted by the ministry’s Food Quality and Safety Division have concluded.
“The distribution of milk to schools in the state must be stopped until we get official results from the Food Quality and Safety Division. Since it’s a school break-time, distribution of milk is a non-issue.”
She said this to reporters at the launch of traditional sport games in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival 2012 by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman here today.
On May 18, a total of 44 pupils of SJKC Lok Yuk in Menggatal, near here, and eight others from SK St. Francis Convent here, were reported to have suffered stomachaches after consuming chocolate milk during recess.
Rosnah, who is also Papar member of Parliament, also sought the cooperation of all schools in the state to lodge an immediate report with the State Health Department should a similar incident occurred, so that follow-up action could be taken.
“At the moment, the incidents only involved the two primary schools,” she said.
Rosnah said she believed that how the milk is stored could be a contributing factor in the incident.
“So, I would like to call on the manufacturer and distributor to pay more attention on the milk storage aspect,” she added. — Bernama
