MALAYSIA IMPOSES LEVEL SIX MECHANISM TO STOP IMPORTATION OF CHINESE DAIRY

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has imposed a level six mechanism to stop the importation of all Chinese dairy products which are feared to have been contaminated by melamine.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said that through this mechanism, all
incoming dairy products from China at six checkpoints throughout Malaysia would
be stopped immediately and returned.

"In Malaysia we have six entry checkpoints and all these entry points are
on high alert...any products of these nature coming in throuh these checkpoints
will be stopped immediately and be returned back..it is called 'level six alert'
at all these entry points.

"We would like to inform the public that Malaysia only imports dairy
products from Australia and New Zealand. We do not import from China.

"Nevertheless, we are still imposing the level six checking to stop the
entry of any of these products into the country," he told reporters after
closing the Asia-Pacific Health Minister's Conference On Climate Change and
Health here Friday.

Liow said the government would stop imposing the mechanism after China
solved the contamination problem on its dairy products.

Apart from imposing the mechanism, the government was also issuing alerts
to
all the hospitals and doctors to be wary of the effect of dairy products which
contained melamine on the health, he said.

China said on Thursday that a fourth baby had died and more than six
thousand infants were ill as it grappled with a festering melamine-contaminated
milk scandal involving one of its biggest dairy producers, Sanlu Group, which
came to light only last week.

Melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilisers, is
rich in nitrogen and when mixed in milk, can make its protein level appear
higher than what it actually is. It is banned in food production.