Vietnam Accuses Khong Guan Biscuits of Containing Melamine
Friday, 10 October, 2008 | 23:55 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesian-made Khong Guan Biscuits exported to Vietnam could be contaminated with melamine. Home Affairs Trade director-general Subagyo confirmed that he had received a letter from Vietnam to this effect through the Indonesian Embassy in Hanoi.

"We have received a letter from the Indonesian Embassy in Hanoi, stating that Khong Guan biscuits were contaminated with melamine," he told the reporters yesterday. The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) will investigate the case, Subagyo said, adding that "this is the first time Indonesian products have been charged of being contaminated with melamine."

Last September, milk coming from China were reported to be contaminated with melamine, which is a chemical used to manufacture plastic. In China it killed four babies due to kidney failure and caused thousands to be hospitalized. In Indonesia, six out of the 19 Chinese dairy products registered in the BPOM have proven to contain melamine.

BPOM deputy chief in charge of Food-Beverage and Dangerous Substances Supervision, Dedi Fardiaz, admitted receiving similar reports. However, he is still waiting for confirmation from Vietnamese authorities regarding the brand of the products. "The melamine content found in Vietnam was very low, around 265 microgram per kilogram," he said.

Indonesian Food and Beverages Businessmen Association in charge of Regulations, Franky Sibarany said the news coming out of Vietnam was not confirmed. "There has been no official confirmation from Vietnam's regulatory board," he said.

Franky claimed he had discussed the problem with Khong Guan Indonesia people and the company reportedly terminated their exports to Vietnam since a year ago and that it was currently importing their milk from New Zealand, Australia, Europe and from local suppliers.

Franky also explained that there are two Khong Guan companies belonging to Indonesia and Singapore with plants located in Thailand and Malaysia.

CORNILA DESYANA | Nieke Indrietta