The public is urged not to buy and use cosmetic products that have been confirmed to be toxic.
The Director General of Health Malaysia, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division (NPRA), Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) has detected that the product ‘Momila Beauty Whitening Cream’ contains mercury, which is categorised as being toxic.
“Mercury is prohibited in cosmetic products because it can be harmful to health. It can enter the body and cause damage to the kidneys and nervous system.
“It can also interfere with the brain development of children who are still small or unborn. It can cause rashes, irritation and other changes to the skin.
“Sellers and distributors of these cosmetic products need to stop selling and distributing them immediately. The sale and distribution of this cosmetic product is in violation of the Drug and Cosmetics Regulations 1984”, he said in a media statement today.
Individuals who commit offenses under these regulations may be fined not more than RM25,000 or imprisoned not more than three years or both for the first offense and fined not more than RM50,000 or imprisoned not more than five years or both for subsequent offenses.
Companies that commit these offenses can be fined up to RM50,000 for the first offense and fined up to RM100,000 for subsequent offenses.
Noor Hisham also reminded members of the public who are currently using these cosmetic products to stop using them and seek advice from a health professional if they experience any discomfort or adverse effects.
“The public is also encouraged to check the notification status of cosmetic products by visiting NPRA’s official website www.npra.gov.my or through the ‘NPRA Product Status’ application which can be downloaded from Google Play Store,” he said.
by Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
