Register
or go bust, this is what the state Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism
Ministry is telling businesses involved in the import, trade and supply of
toys.
They have been given from now until Jan 1 to
do so, which means obtaining a Certificate of Malaysian Conformity (MC) is a
must.
After the deadline, a statewide crackdown will
get underway to confiscate toys and paraphernalia used by children which may
contain toxic materials hazardous to health, such as lead.
Zakaria Awang, the ministry's Miri chief, told
The Star: "The ministry is very concerned about the influx of such objects
for children and those in their early teens, in particular those under the age
of 14.
"Many are not registered products that
have been examined and approved by the ministry."
"There are all sorts of toys and
paraphernalia flooding the market nowadays meant to attract children and young
teenagers. These products come from all over the world, as well as from local
producers.
"The ministry has discovered that a big
portion of these products do not have a Certificate of MC.
"We are worried about the contents of
these items as they may be potentially hazardous to health. These products may
contain toxic materials or parts of their components may be made by ingredients
that may contain excessive amount of toxic materials," he said yesterday.
"The ministry wants to keep track of all
these items sold to the public. That is why it will make it mandatory from Jan
1 next year for those selling such toys to obtain a Certificate of MC before
they can sell these products in public."
In Sarawak, Zakaria said, sales of foreign
toys and paraphernalia had become a big business, and spreading fast in urban
centres.
The ministry advises those related to the
industry to check with its offices throughout the state on what needs to be
done to secure the Certificate of MC.
They can either visit the offices personally
or check the ministry's website www.kpdnkk.gov.my.
Asked how many traders in the state were
selling such imported stuff, he said: "There is no exact data because
importation seems to be unabated."
A check with various online sites showed that
there had been many complaints by consumer groups over the safety of many types
of toys and paraphernalia used by pre-teens and teens today. It was reported
that in the United States and China, it was discovered that manufacturers had
used excessive amounts of lead to make the components for toys.
A check with international websites showed
that some 50 million toys and paraphernalia were recalled worldwide last year
and banned from public sales after they were found to have been manufactured
using components that contain toxic ingredients. It was reported that 18
million Made-in-China toys were taken off the shelves due to such safety
breaches.
Lead is a highly toxic metal, and because of
its abundance, low cost, and physical properties, lead and lead compounds have
been used in a wide variety of products, including paint, ceramics, pipes,
solders, gasoline, batteries, and cosmetics.
While extreme lead exposure can cause a
variety of neurological disorders such as lack of muscular coordination,
convulsions and coma, much lower lead levels have been associated with
measurable changes in children's mental development and behaviour.
These include hyperactivity, deficits in fine
motor function, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time, and lowered
performance on intelligence tests.
Chronic lead exposure in adults can result in
increased blood pressure, decreased fertility, cataracts, nerve disorders,
muscle and joint pain, and memory or concentration problems.
Stephen Then in Miri/The Star | ANN
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