A company that has been granted the right to import eggs from India into Malaysia has threatened to file a legal suit against former Gombak MP Datuk Seri Azmin Ali over a statement he made about the business.
This comes after Azmin’s claim on Saturday (March 11) that controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan was offered a contract for egg imports through direct negotiation and was exempted from food safety checks.
In response to the speech, J&E Advance Tech Sdn Bhd, India’s sole importer of eggs, had come forward to refute Azmin’s allegations about direct negotiation and food safety exemptions.
“J&E was never awarded any direct negotiations by the government nor did J&E ever sell nor offer to sell the eggs imported from India to the government or any relevant government agency or Government-Linked Companies (GLCS),” the firm stressed.
“Azmin’s statement is a blatant lie designed to confuse the general public in order to deflect the criminal case filed against his party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.”
The eggs are also subject to inspection by the Malaysian Quarantine Inspection Services Department (MAQIS), as well as the Veterinary Services Department and the Indian government.
J&E has given Azmin 72 hours from today to make a “corrective statement” to the company as well as on social media or face legal action.
On Saturday night, Azmin in a PN ceramah at Taman Melewar claimed the government, through the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, has allegedly awarded a contract to import eggs from India through direct negotiations to a company owned by Deepak.
Azmin also claimed that Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu who is also the Agriculture and Food Security Minister, brought the businessman involved along in his visit to India recently.
On Feb 28, Mohamad Sabu reportedly stated that only one company had been granted permission to import eggs from India as part of the government’s efforts to address a product shortage.
J&E had previously issued a letter of demand to Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who had been vocal lately in the Dewan Rakyat about the cost and quality of eggs imported from India. – March 13, 2023
Main pic credit: The Edge Markets
