Media statement by Tony Pua Kiam Wee in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 9^th April 2012:

Datuk Seri Noh Omar must confirm if the cows in the NFC operated by NFCorp were found to have suffered from copper poisioning

I have received documents which showed that testing on several dead cows from the NFCorp indicated severe copper poisoning.

These tests by Veterinary Services Department were conducted on half a dozen cows which died at the centre in June 2011.

All the tests indicated copper levels well-above what is the normal range for cattle. For test subject RT6730 for example, its liver was found to have 172.98 parts per million (ppm) as opposed to a 25-100ppm for a normal healthy cattle. Its kidneys fared even worse, containing 43.71ppm compared to a normal range of 4-6ppm.

Another test subject RT576 was found to have 721.24ppm of copper in its liver.

This is matter of serious concern as meat and meat products from the diseased cows may have been sold for human consumption in Malaysia.

Datuk Seri Noh Omar, the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based products must confirm is a thorough test have been conducted on cows in the entire farm to ensure that the copper poisoning is not widespread and other cows have not been affected. It can only be deduced that other cows would suffer from excessive levels of copper as well, but may not have died in the process.

The Minister must also confirm if all meat produced by NFCorp are free from copper toxicity and if the Ministry has conducted stringent inspections following the discovery of copper poisoning last year.

What Malaysians also need to know is how many cows have died at NFCorp under such circumstances, and if the numbers are significant, are these cows properly disposed of? Malaysians will need the assurance from the Ministry of Agriculture that such carcasses will not be sold as fresh meat to unknowing Malaysians who rely on officers from the Ministry to enforce health standards.

We call upon the Ministry of Health to state if they have been notified of the above issues, and whether they have conducted independent checks on meat produced by NFCorp to ensure that they are healthy for Malaysians to consume.

The Barisan Nasional government must not attempt to cover up the entire NFCorp scandal, as in this case, not only is the tax-payers' monies involved, the health of ordinary Malaysians are also at stake.

* Tony Pua Kiam Wee, DAP National Publicity Secretary & MP for Petaling Jaya Utara