Official Israeli data show that dozens of food products from companies in Malaysia have reached importers in Israel for sale in the local market or as ingredients in food manufacturing there.

This is despite a staunch anti-Israel diplomatic stance, including a trade sanction by Malaysia, especially amid the ongoing violence in Gaza which erupted on Oct 7 last year.

However, some Malaysian manufacturers who responded to requests for comment denied they exported goods to Israel and did not know their products were listed on the Israel database.

The Israeli data indicate that some of these products have licensing certificates dated during the ongoing war that Israel is waging in the Gaza Strip.

The official data, obtained and examined by the Arabic Post, were issued by the “Chief Rabbinate of Israel”, the country’s religious authority which issues kosher certificates necessary for marketing and selling products in Israel.

The kosher certificate means that the food product and raw materials comply with Jewish dietary rules, and the certificate’s logo is placed on products sold in Israel.



This is akin to the halal certificates issued by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and halal authorities in other countries.

The Arabic Post only examined the data published on an Israeli government website from Oct 7, 2023 to May 30, 2024.

This means there are more products which obtained the kosher certification before this, while the database continues to be updated with new products that have been awarded the certification.

Who are the Malaysian manufacturers?

According to the data, 36 products from factories based in Malaysia received the kosher certificate, and all these products are food items, including food flavourings, oil, cocoa and cream.

The data shows the products were manufactured in Malaysia and imported by an Israeli company.

However, it is unclear if the importers dealt directly with the Malaysian firms or went through third-party agents.

The 36 products were produced by 12 factories in Malaysia, with many of them subsidiaries of larger international companies.

One notable Malaysian firm selling its items in Israel is coffee manufacturer, Aik Cheong Sdn Bhd.

Two of its products - Golden Eagle instant coffee drink and a powdered ingredient to make cappuccino - received kosher certification from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel since Oct 7.

he company listed as importing Linaco’s coconut cream is Rakuto Kasei Israel Ltd/Rakuto Diplomat International Ltd, which says it is “the biggest distribution and marketing company of consumer goods in Israel”.

Some firms deny exporting to Israeli market

Arabic Post and Malaysiakini have contacted the Malaysian companies listed in the Israeli government database.

At the time of publication, only Aik Cheong, Purecircle Sdn Bhd, and Danisco (M) Sdn Bhd responded. They deny exporting any goods to Israel. Mewaholeo Industries Sdn Bhd said it will respond via email.

Although Aik Cheong’s website and the kosher database state that the coffee maker’s name is Aik Cheong Sdn Bhd, this company does not exist on the Companies Commission of Malaysia website. Instead, Malaysiakini contacted Aik Cheong Beverages Sdn Bhd.

Aik Cheong Beverages Sdn Bhd’s administration manager and halal executive Nor Hafiqqie Mohd Nor said the company does not export its products to Israel and has no knowledge of the kosher certification.

“No Aik Cheong product has ever been exported to Israel,” he said, despite the Israeli kosher database stating otherwise.

Purecircle Sdn Bhd, a stevia product manufacturer that is part of US food additive maker Ingredion, said the same thing.

“We have never exported or imported any goods to or from Israel. If there is any listed (on the Israeli database) it would not be from our company in Malaysia.

“Malaysia does not have any trading relationship with Israel and we adhere to the laws,” said Purecircle Sdn Bhd customer manager Nicole Tang when contacted.

Danisco (M) Sdn Bhd logistics manager Hooi Hoe Ping also said Danisco Malaysia does not export any products to the Israeli market.

Danisco (M) Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of the Danish food ingredients manufacturer by the same name, which was acquired by American chemical company DuPont in 2011.

KLK Oleo Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the public-listed palm oil giant Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, is also listed as the manufacturer of palm oil products imported by Israeli firms, the Israeli database shows.

Others include the brand owner of the Rasaku brand of coconut cream, Linaco Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd, and other manufacturers which are subsidiaries of global manufacturing companies headquartered in Japan, the United States and Europe.


https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/709987

Oh my, how now ?

tokpek company

Sohai one.
This also can take to talk

Mcm murica je...mulut kecam, tapi beli gak barang murah drpd motherland...

God department can venture into Kosher martket also. Win

Seems like Islamic teaching is exactly the same with Jews

>inb4 keymochi kata harom
owai- topkek
Nearlee

India exports rockets, explosives to Israel amid Gaza war, documents reveal
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/6/2...ocuments-reveal

That Sinkie based importer must be crazy rich jacking up prices and send it to Israel or any other exotic market.

No wonder felt guilty n boikot

This post has been edited by yehlai: Jun 27 2024, 09:41 AM

thank you shalom shabat

This is happening all the time using third party, the only shit stirrer is the author in malaysiakini

Maybe u will feel better if u add a clause this item isn't for israel, so ur client will repack as their product but the product still end up in Israel anyway

This post has been edited by andrwss: Jun 27 2024, 09:45 AM

New wave of boycott incoming.

Why dig stuff untill this far

sia-sia je sekian lama duk boycott oren kita.
Apa jadi sekarang?

Move on Oren kita semua. Bangunkan economy negara

So we have to self sabotage and ruin our own business opportunities ?
What about the jobs loss ?

That'w why North Korea too have all the UK Scotch and all the branded American Whiskey regardless of what Kim Jong Un propaganda is against the western thing, magician shipping industry. Special supermarket and malls for North Korean elite and Diplomats....

This post has been edited by yongku99: Jun 27 2024, 09:46 AM

Malaysia also import a lot from Israel especially in sat nav and communication.

Just do it through 3rd party and rebrand it.

i think it is some Malaysia businessmen who actually not in Malaysia, but actually live at other countries, doing some businesses with Israel by export their goods to there...
that's why we Malaysia authorities cannot stop them doing it because they are doing at another country, not here...
(you have no power here...)