KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA - When the melamine scare hit China recently, the state government knew it had to do something to convince locals that milk produced in the state was safe.

Samples of local milk were sent to the Doping Control Centre at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Veterinary Services and Animal Industry Department and TUV SUD PSB Pte Ltd of Singapore for testing.

As expected, the tests cleared the samples of contamination by the chemical, which left thousands ill in China.

State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said tests showed that local milk was free of melamine, like milk from Europe.

"Although the government allows one miligramme of melamine in every kilogramme of infant formula and 2.5mg for every kg of other food products, we are keeping to a zero melamine standard as set by the European Union.
"This certification shows that Sabah has the ability to produce international standard dairy products. This should put us on the right footing to compete globally.

"I hope locals will buy dairy products from Sabah," Yahya said at Wisma Pertanian here yesterday.

Last year, the state produced seven million litres of fresh milk and is aiming for nine million litres this year.

There are 170 dairy farmers in the state.

The state's milk is processed by Sabah International Dairies Sdn Bhd, the only company in east Malaysia which manufactures ultra high temperature (UHT) milk and flavoured milk.

The company supplies UHT milk to schools, produces recombined milk and pasteurised fresh milk for the commercial market, exports pasteurised fresh milk to the peninsula and undertakes contract packing for a multinational.