Govt needs to stay vigilant as Israel changes product branding, packaging

SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) has urged the government to monitor any commercial ships believed to be conducting repackaging and rebranding activities for Israeli-related products before their arrival at Malaysian ports.

Its President Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said that they received information indicating that some Israeli company products were undergoing repackaging and rebranding activities by a few shipping companies registered with the Transport Ministry in Singapore before distributing them to Malaysia and Indonesia.

While commending the government's action to block Israeli-based shipping company ZIM from docking at any Malaysian ports, Azmi hoped for similar firm actions to be directed at Israel-related merchant ships hiding behind business registrations in other countries.

"I believe Israeli merchant ships frequently pass through the Malacca Straits as they focus on trade affairs and cargo transshipment in Singapore's ports.

"However, there's information indicating that Israeli company goods undergo repackaging and rebranding with dummy (fake) labels in our neighbouring country before being sent to our ports through merchant ships registered with the Transport Ministry.

"I think the government should examine the authenticity of these companies' trade transactions from now on, whether they genuinely carry cargo unrelated to Israel or otherwise," he told Sinar Premium yesterday.

Mohd Azmi also questioned on how the Malaysian government could permit Israeli shipping companies to conduct official trade affairs at the country's ports when both nations lack any formal diplomatic relations.

The recent controversy involving the ban on ZIM merchant ship entries is the second incident following the nation's surprise encounter with an Israeli spy plane entering its airspace in 2021.

The presence of an Israeli prototype spy plane with the registration number 4X-AOO flying from Tel Aviv to Singapore, entering the country's airspace, and hovering for four hours before landing raised concerns among the public before confirming Malaysia's flight approval.

"We still do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, but how can Israeli merchant ships and spy planes enter our ports and airspace? Did we overlook this matter?

"By blocking the entry of Israeli-related merchant ships, I believe Malaysia's maritime economy will not be severely affected. With the Strait of Malacca being among the busiest waterways globally, our ports remain the focus of other nations," he said.

Meanwhile, BDS Malaysia Chairman Professor Dr Mohd Nazari Ismail stated that the primary reason for ZIM Shipping Company's permission to dock in Malaysian ports is their use of cargo ships registered in other countries.

"ZIM has been using ships registered in countries other than Israel.That's why they could enter.

"The flag on the ship is not Israeli, but the ship is, in fact, owned by Israel," he mentioned.

Mohd Nazari also hoped that other Arab and Islamic countries worldwide would follow Malaysia's lead in restricting the entry of Israeli merchant ships into their countries.