Implementation of Malaysian organic certification scheme revised 

In August last year the Malaysian Department of Agriculture (DOA) revealed the government certification programme (reported in TOS September 2002, issue no. 17). Many changes to the scheme have taken place, and on 20 July, 2003, these developments were presented to the public at a seminar organised by the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (CETDEM), a Malaysian NGO, held in Kuala Lumpur.

Restructuring of the Malaysian certification scheme

At the DOA seminar in 2002, the DOA announced an innovative public-private partnership arrangement for the implementation of the Malaysian government organic certification scheme. The then proposed public-private partnership arrangement with Organic Alliance Malaysia (OAM), the private sector organic association, had the following key components.

• A joint Steering Committee (SC) consisting of government bodies and private sector nominees. Its purpose was to oversee policy development and programme implementation, including approval of standards and hearing appeals and complaints.
• A joint Certification Committee (CC) consisting of government bodies and private sector nominees.
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• An arrangement where the DOA will handle small and poor operators based on agreed criteria at a nominal fee and OAM will handle medium size and more commercial operators, who are thought to be able to afford the cost of private inspection.

A little less than a year later, this arrangement is now void. Acceding to requests for greater support, the DOA announced it would now offer certification to all operators (primary production) at a nominal fee. Whilst private sector representatives are still invited to sit as Steering Committee members, they are now excluded from the Certification Committee.

The programme scheduled for implementation in January 2003 is now due to start this month (September 2003). The name of the scheme has been changed to Skim Organik Malaysia (SOM) – Malaysian Organic Scheme – replacing the previous name of Skim Persijilan Ladang Organik (SPLO) – Organic Farm Certification Scheme. The DOA is also in the process of expanding the scope from primary production to cover processing, repacking and retailing. The additional scope is expected to be integrated into the scheme by the end of the year. In his explanation of the process at the CETDEM seminar, Mr Ramli Burhanuddin, the DOA officer in charge of the government certification programme, mentioned that there will be two site inspection visits instead of just one as originally planned. The first visit, conducted by the DOA Soil Management Division will assess the suitability of soil and land terrain for cultivation. Qualifying farms will then subsequently be inspected on compliance to organic management standards. The SOM standards also require, as he explained, sample analysis of water, inputs and produce. The certification scheme targeted for the domestic market will be implemented on a voluntary basis. Inspections will be conducted by experienced DOA officers and sample analysis will be provided free of charge by the DOA. It is projected that certification could eventually be private sector based.

The changes made by the DOA is not a complete surprise but has certainly placed OAM in a quandary. Over the last year OAM suspended its founding objective to establish a private sector certification in favour of collaboration with the DOA. Sensing the change in government orientation, members at the OAM Annual General Meeting, held in April, revived the question of establishing a private sector certification programme.

Although OAM now has a lesser role it remains a Steering Committee member of the government programme.

Summary of other discussion

The recent seminar also provided opportunity for the public to raise concerns and offer opinions on the implementation of the Malaysian government certification scheme. Besides well known Malaysian activist, Ir. Gurmit Singh, the Executive Director of CETDEM, and the DOA, speakers at the seminar included Mr. Rod May, technical Director of the Australian certification body, National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA), and Dr. Alice Escalante de Cruz, Programme Officer of the Consumers International Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (CI-ROAP).

It was unanimously agreed that certification is an important government initiative in eliminating the confusion between the status of natural and organic labelled products in the Malaysian market today. However, a number of concerns and reservations were raised. One particular point of concern was the possibility of certification being diverted from its original intent of helping farmers to improve their economic status. According to Gurmit Singh from his observation, private certifiers are making money from fees. The dual function of the DOA in extension and certification was also a concern. It was proposed that the Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM) take on the role of accreditation to oversee the DOA’s role as certifier. It was also suggested that labour welfare be included in the Malaysian Organic Standard MS1529:2000.

The common worldwide trend is that governments leave the standard setting tasks and certification to the organic private sector and only assume the role of accreditor. This more typical arrangement, as related by NASAA Director Rod May at the seminar, has not had any influence on the Malaysian government.

Jumat Majid
OAM Coordinator
jumatmajid[at]myjaring.net

Ong Kung Wai
The Organic Standard
Kungwai[at]tm.net.my

6 of 20 Good Reasons To Buy Organic 

Ensure humane treatment of animals. Scientific evidence indicates that practices
such as battery hen farming, and the use of sow stalls, inflict continuous intense suffering
on animals throughout their confinement leading to acute physical and behavioural
problems (RSPCA). Organic livestock is grown in a way that conforms to natural processes
of growth and development.

Source: BFA