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AUTHORITIES have been urged to probe allegations that imported cooking oil is being blended with locally produced supplies before being re-exported under a Malaysian label.
Maritime Network Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan said the alleged practice, described by industry players as an oil "cocktail", has raised grave concerns over product origin, traceability and food safety,
Based on an examination of cargo manifests and bills of lading, concerns have been raised about the declared country of origin and the verification of the oil's actual composition after blending.
Jeyenderan, who has more than 30 years of experience in the maritime industry, said independent laboratory tests were necessary to establish whether the imported oil and the final blended product met the required quality and food safety standards.
He also questioned whether oil samples were tested before vessels carrying the cargo left Malaysian waters.
According to him, the vessels concerned were allegedly not equipped with specialised laboratory facilities or qualified chemists to conduct detailed analyses of the oil samples.
“How could the actual composition and quality of the cargo be independently verified without proper laboratory testing.
“The issue is not just about blending different types of oil, but also about whether the origin and composition of the final product can be properly established before it is exported," he said.
Jeyenderan said any possibility of contamination should be investigated through scientific testing rather than assumptions.
"If the oil is contaminated, what could be the impact on public health? Who is responsible for ensuring that the final product is safe for consumption?" he asked.
Jeyenderan said international rules already set clear expectations on origin, testing and traceability.
Under the Codex Alimentarius, the food standards body of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Health Organisation, the General Standard for the Labelling of Foods requires the country of origin of the food to be declared if its omission would mislead or deceive the consumer.
“Codex only allows the origin to shift when processing changes the nature of the food. Simply mixing imported oil with Malaysian oil does not change its nature, so declaring the blend as wholly Malaysian may mislead buyers,” he said.
On testing, he noted that international palm oil trade contracts under FOSFA International, including FOSFA Contract No. 81 issued jointly with the Palm Oil Refiners Association of Malaysia (PORAM), require independent analysis by qualified surveyors.
He also warned that the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) under Article 3, which applies to large operators from 30 December 2026, requires palm oil entering the EU to be traceable to the plots of land where it was produced.
“If foreign oil of unknown origin is mixed into Malaysian oil, the whole cargo may fail EUDR traceability. That puts genuine Malaysian exporters and our MSPO credibility at risk just as the regulation comes into force,” he said.
He urged the authorities to clarify the procedures governing the import, blending, sampling, quality certification and re-export of cooking oil, including the agencies responsible for monitoring each stage.
He said proper documentation and independent laboratory testing were essential to ensure that products exported from Malaysia complied with the required standards and that their country of origin was accurately declared.
He added that any failure to address the concerns could affect consumer confidence and Malaysia's reputation as an exporter of food products.
Meanwhile, The Edge reported yesterday, citing industry sources, that imported palm oil was allegedly being blended with locally produced supplies before being re-exported, potentially allowing foreign-origin oil to be marketed as Malaysian palm oil.
The report said trade sources had described the alleged practice as a "cocktail", with blending ratios of 75:25 or 80:20 reportedly circulating in the market.
In the trade, this 'cocktail' is clearly an adulteration of Malaysian oil. It cannot be confirmed by the market alone, which is why the authorities need to check.
The industry source warned that the alleged practice, if taking place, could displace locally produced palm oil in overseas markets and undermine confidence in Malaysia's palm oil brand, including its Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification and traceability framework.
"Customs, MPOB and MITI (Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry) already hold the import and origin records, so this can be checked quickly," the source added. – November 5, 2026
