1. Controlled and Prohibited Goods
Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023 of Malaysia has listed the products which are prohibited or can be imported under certain conditions.
• First schedule (page no. 26) of the order absolutely prohibits the good for import into Malaysia. No animal or animal products are prohibited from being imported into Malaysia.
• Part I of the Second Schedule (page no. 30) of the order prohibits goods, except under an import license.
• Part I of the Third Schedule (page no. 64) prohibits goods, except in the manner provided for in column (5) of Part I of the Third Schedule.
• Part III of the Third Schedule (page no. 206) prohibits goods, except in the manner provided for goods controlled under the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 [Act 686] and in the manner provided for in column (5) of Part III of the Third Schedule.
• Part I of the Fourth Schedule (page no. 215) prohibits goods, except conforming to the Malaysian Standard or other standards approved by the Malaysian authorities and in the manner provided for in column (5) of Part I of the Fourth Schedule.
The order is dynamic and amended time to time. To find the latest version of the order, visit the website: Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
(a) Import permit is required to import animals and animal products. Since 2013, import permit for all animal and animal products imported into Malaysia is issued by The Department of Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) in accordance to the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 [Act 728].
(b) Certain animal products need to be accompanied by Health Certificate with Certificate of Analysis. The products are Edible Meat & Meat Offal, Edible Poultry & Poultry Offal, Crabs, Cheeses (Processed cheeses are exempted from this requirement), Honey. The notification can be found in the link: Additional Certificate for Food Import. For the updated notifications visit the website: Food Safety Information System of Malaysia.
Requirements for Edible Meat & Meat Offal:
- Health Certificate (HC) issued by Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- The HC must contain a declaration/statement of absence of Beta-agonist
- If the HC does not contain attestation, Certificate of Analysis (CoA) shall be provided. CoA shall be issued by an accredited laboratory recognized by the Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- If not accompanied, Hold, Test and Release (TUL)
Requirements for Edible Poultry & Poultry Offal:
- Health Certificate (HC) issued by Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- The HC must contain a declaration/statement of absence of Nitrofurans & its metabolites
- If the HC does not contain attestation, Certificate of Analysis (CoA) shall be provided. CoA shall be issued by an accredited laboratory recognized by the Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- If not accompanied, Hold, Test and Release (TUL)
Requirements for Crabs:
- Health Certificate (HC) issued by Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- The HC must contain a declaration/statement of absence of Chloramphenicol (Declaration / statement of absence of chloramphenicol is not required for “wild caught” crabs. Declaration of “wild caught” shall be indicated on the HC or verified by the CA of the exporting country or the high commission / embassy)
- If the HC does not contain attestation, Certificate of Analysis (CoA) shall be provided. CoA shall be issued by an accredited laboratory recognized by the Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- If not accompanied, Hold, Test and Release (TUL)
Requirements for Cheeses:
- Health Certificate (HC) Issued by Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- The HC must contain a declaration/statement of absence of Listeria Monocytogenes
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) issued by an accredited laboratory recognized by the Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- If not accompanied, Hold, Test and Release (TUL)
Requirements for Honey:
- Health Certificate (HC) Issued by Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- The HC must contain a declaration/statement of absence of Chloramphenicol
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) issued by an accredited laboratory recognized by the Competent Authority (CA) of the exporting country
- If not accompanied, Hold, Test and Release (TUL)
(c) In case of importing animals and animal products form new countries, the procedures in the link need to be followed: General procedure of importing meat, poultry, milk and egg products from new countries to Malaysia.
According to the World Trade Organization, the following certificates are needed in case of animals and animal products importation into Malaysia-
(a) For the importation of live animals:
- Veterinary Health Certificate/Quarantine Certificate from exporting countries
- CITES certificate in case of wildlife animals: (Refer also to the Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks)
(b) For importation of animal products (except pork and pork products):
- Veterinary Health Certificate (issued by a competent Veterinary Authority)
- Halal Certificate (issued by JAKIM or Halal Organization Body recognized by JAKIM)
(c) For importation of animal products (pork and pork products):
- Veterinary Health Certificate (issued by a competent Veterinary Authority)
4. Food Regulation and Standards
(a) Maximum Residue levels (MRLs) of Pesticide
The sixteenth Schedule of the Food Regulation 1985 sets out maximum residual level permitted in foods. According to the regulation no 41, no person shall import, prepare for sale or sell any food— (a) containing pesticide residue in a proportion greater than the proportion of pesticide residue limit. If the pesticide is not found in the schedule, Codex Alimentarius shall be followed. If the limit cannot be found in the sixteenth schedule or x Alimentarius, the limit is less than 0.01 milligram.
(b) Contaminants
Table I of Fourteenth schedule of the Food Regulation 1985 sets out maximum permitted proportion of metal contaminant in specified food. To get any update of the schedule visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division
Table IA of Fourteenth schedule of the Food Regulation 1985 sets out the maximum permitted proportion of arsenic (as) in specified food. To get any update of the schedule visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division
Table IC of Fourteenth schedule of the Food Regulation 1985 sets out maximum permitted proportion of tin (sn) in specified food. To get any update of the schedule visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division
Table ID of Fourteenth schedule of the Food Regulation 1985 sets out maximum permitted proportion of mercury (hg) in specified food. To get any update of the schedule visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division
Table IE of Fourteenth schedule of the Food Regulation 1985 sets out maximum permitted proportion of cadmium (cd) in specified food. To get any update of the schedule visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division
(c) Mycotoxins
Fifteenth schedule of the Food Regulation 1985 sets out the microorganisms and their toxins in foods. To get any update of the schedule visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division
(d) Food Additive
Part V of Food Regulation 1985 sets out the requirements for food additive and nutrient. To get any update of the Regulation visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division
(e) Product Standard and Specification
Food Regulation 1985 sets out the food standards and labeling requirements of certain animal products. The products include:
Milk and Milk Product (Regulations 82-117)
Meat and Meat Product (Regulations 141-155)
Egg and Egg Product (Regulations 171-178)
Edible Fat and Edible oil (Regulations 179-182, 185, 186, 188, 189, 208)
Milk chocolate (Regulation 281)
Milk shake (Regulation 282)
(f) Labelling Requirements
Part IV of Food Regulation 1985 sets out the labelling requirements for food in Malaysia. To get any update of the Regulation visit the website of Food Safety and Quality Division