Malaysia plans new law to regulate genetically modified foods

摘要：马来西亚即将立法管理转基因食品，这一举动并不是说要禁止进口转基因食品，而是为了管理转基因产品的安全问题。该法案已经提交国会。以后任何包括转基因的动物饲料，农作物或者动物都需要经过某一新成立的政府部门管理。只要在保证安全，不背伦理，以及合法的前提下，可以使用转基因技术。

Malaysia will introduce a new law to regulate genetically modified foods but the move is not aimed at stopping imports of biotech products, officials said Monday.
A proposed Biosafety Bill has been tabled in Parliament and will be debated next month, Home Affairs Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad told reporters after opening a regional biosecurity conference.

Under the proposed bill, any food products including animal feed, crops or animals that contain genetically modified organisms must be approved by a new government panel as part of efforts to boost food security, officials said.

Importers will also be required to label GM contents in food products to allow consumers to make informed decisions, said K. Nagulendran, a senior official with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

"Malaysia has rich biodiversity resources. We are concerned about any unapproved variations entering into our food chain that have implications on human health and the environment," he said.

"We regulate to ensure its safety. We are not taking the position to ban GM food, that's not in our interest."

Nagulendran said Malaysia will join Japan, the European Union and more than 50 other countries that already have laws or mechanisms regulating GM food.

Malaysia imports maize from the United States for animal feed, as well as soya products from other countries, but there are currently no laws requiring labeling of genetically modified organisms, he told The Associated Press.

He said the proposed law could also be a boost to Malaysia if it produces and exports its own GM products in the future. Government researchers are already working on developing genetically modified papaya, orchid flowers and other products that are resistant to diseases, he said.

"We are not saying no to technology as long as it is done safely, ethically and judicially," Nagulendran said.