Pakatan: Excessive Vitamin A in KR1M milk

It's unhealthy for children as the powder contains eight times the permitted amount in contravention of the Food Regulations Act 1985, says Tony Pua.

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat leaders continued with their attack on Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia (KR1M), this time alleging its milk powder has over eight times the legal limit of Vitamin A which may be harmful to children.

Speaking at a press conference in Parliament lobby here today, the bloc’s lawmakers said the 1Malaysia-branded Growing Up Milk Powder for children above the age of one contained 6,012 international units (IU) of Vitamin A per 100kcal.

“This is equivalent to a 802% excess over the legal limit set under Regulation 389A of the Food Regulations Act 1985,” said Tony Pua, the DAP’s publicity chief.

“This is also 588% more than the United States Recommended Daily Allowance,” he said, adding that excessive amounts of Vitamin A may lead to liver problems, reduced bone mineral density, skin discolouration and hair loss.

Pua also said the amount of calcium and iron in the milk powder did not meet the minimum required under the law.

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak launched the first of three shops now operating in the Klang Valley in June as a response to rising inflation.

KR1M, operated by hypermarket giant Mydin, offers 250 generic products like rice, oil, flour, bread, eggs, milk powder and diapers at prices 30 to 40% lower than market rates, as well as branded goods.

Najib said more KR1M would be set up in other locations similar to the 1 Malaysia clinics his administration has established in states like Sabah and Sarawak.

The opposition, led by Pua, in recent weeks have consistently attacked KR1M, one of the many “election pushes” of the Najib administration and claimed that the shop was selling products at a price higher than hyper marts like Tesco and Carrefour.

Mydin yesterday denied allegations that KR1M sold higher priced but lower quality products.

Its managing director Ameer Ali Mydin merely conceded to one defect – that there was a misleading label on the 1Malaysia oyster sauce bottle which should instead have stated it was oyster-flavoured sauce.

Fellow Pakatan leader, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, called for an independent investigation to ensure that goods sold in the thrift stores met regulations.