Consumer body files complaint against PT Ajinomoto

Consumer body files complaint against PT Ajinomoto

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) filed
a complaint with the Jakarta Police on Thursday against
monosodium glutamate (MSG) producer PT Ajinomoto Indonesia,
accusing the company of deception.

YLKI chairwoman Indah Suksmaningsih said PT Ajinomoto was
guilty of violating three laws.

Indah said the company was primarily guilty of breaching
Consumer Protection Law No. 8, Article 8, Point H, which
stipulates that a product that is labeled halal, or allowable
under Islamic law, must be processed in accordance with Islamic
law.

The company also was accused of violating Food Law No. 7/1996,
which states that food labels and advertisements must be in line
with religious requirements, and must not mislead consumers.

Also, the company failed to meet Government Regulation No.
69/1999, which says foods labeled halal must be processed in
accordance with the rulings of competent religious institutions,
she said.

"PT Ajinomoto has dared to declare its products halal and put
it on the label. Therefore the production process must also be
halal. They must be consequent," Indah said.

This means, she said, the company was involved in a deception
and consumers can file a claim against it in response to its
actions.

"Especially because the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and
the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare's Directorate General
of Food and Drug Control (POM) have declared their products not
halal, or haram," she said.

The status of Ajinomoto's products came into question after
MUI's Food and Drug Analysis Body found evidence that since
October the company had been using pig enzymes in its MSG
production process.

Islam bans pork and pork by-products.

A legal expert from Medan, North Sumatra, Irham Buana
Nasution, said PT Ajinomoto could face legal action for violating
Law No. 23/1992 on the hygiene and the halal status of food
products.

"The Directorate General of POM shouldn't just demand the
withdrawal of the products, it also has to take legal action.
Especially because the products have already been on store
shelves and have caused restlessness among the people," he said
as quoted by Antara news agency on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the company's manager of general affairs and
personnel, Sugiarto, said PT Ajinomoto was opting to wait and see
in response to the complaint and any other future legal action.

"We haven't thought about it. Right now we're focusing on
withdrawing our products as demanded by MUI and the Directorate
General of POM," Sugiarto told The Jakarta Post.

Reuters reported on Thursday that the controversy apparently
has effected the Japanese-based company, which accounts for one-
third of the 1.5-million-ton global MSG market.

Ajinomoto shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange ended the opening
session on Thursday down 3.5 percent at 1,433 yen, before the
initial news of the Indonesian ministry's order to recall all
foods containing the company's MSG products was announced.

The company's share prices jumped 7.5 percent in the final
week of the year before their fall on Thursday, the first trading
day of the new year for Tokyo.

Apology

On Wednesday in a statement signed by the company's
management, PT Ajinomoto Indonesia apologized to Indonesian
consumers for the controversy.

PT Ajinomoto also expressed its gratitude to people for being
loyal customers.

The company emphasized that its final product, MSG Ajinomoto,
does not contain pork or pork by-products.

However, to avoid any unease and to assure those people
consuming products containing MSG Ajinomoto, the company stated
that it would recall all of its products from store shelves
across the country beginning on Wednesday, a process that will
take two to three weeks to complete.

The company also stated the recall would be coordinated with
POM, MUI' food analysis body, the Ministry of Industry and
Trade's Directorate General of Domestic Trade and the Ministry of
Religious Affairs.

After the recall is complete, it said, new MSG Ajinomoto
products which use mameno substance from soybeans in its
manufacture will be distributed, after obtaining halal
certification from MUI.(hdn)