PAS lawmaker plays down claim of Malaysian eggs smuggled to US linked to Mat Sabu’s ministry
PAS has displayed their grasp of economic knowledge by allaying concerns raised by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu a.k.a. Mat Sabu over “chicken eggs from Malaysia being smuggled to the US to tide the latter’s egg shortage situation sparked by the latest bird flu outbreak”.
Dismissing the likelihood as “illogical and highly improbable”, the Islamist party’s information chief Fadhli Shaari said the 14,000km distance separating Malaysia and the US makes shipping of chicken eggs in bulk a very expensive and uneconomical process.
“The cost of sea shipping for a refrigerated container can reach US$6,000–US8,000 (RM28,000-RM37,500) while air shipping costs are higher at around US$2-US$4 (RM9-RM19)/kg,” he opined on his Facebook page.
TELUR MALAYSIA DISELUDUP KE AMERIKA: FAKTA ATAU ILUSI?
Saya hormat kebimbangan Menteri Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, mengenai kemungkinan telur ayam dari Malaysia diseludup ke Amerika Syarikat (AS). Namun, berdasarkan fakta dan data yang tersedia, kebimbangan ini kelihatan kurang logik dan sukar berlaku.
Dari segi kos logistik, jarak antara Malaysia dan AS yang melebihi 14,000 km menjadikan penghantaran telur ayam dalam jumlah besar satu proses ...
See more“Eggs are also a perishable product that requires temperature-controlled storage, hence will further increase shipping costs. With all these factors, smuggling eggs from Malaysia to the US is not only not worthwhile but also makes no sense from an economic perspective.”
Editor’s Note: Mat Sabu has issued a statement to purportedly to deny or clarify confusion related to the likelihood of Malaysian eggs being smuggled to the US.
The Amanah (which happens to be a PAS splinter party) president went on to state that his ministry wished to assure you that the supply of chicken eggs in Malaysia remains sufficient and stable to meet domestic demand.
It is nevertheless an impressive attempt for Fadhli to showcase so-called PAS’ economic prowess.
Price-wise, Fadhli contended that the reality of the US market also does not support Mat Sabu’s claim.
According to a March 21 report by The Guardian, egg prices in some areas – especially in California – have risen to nearly US$10/dozen following a supply crisis due to the bird flu outbreak.
The average price of eggs in the US in February 2025 was around US$5.90/dozen which was much higher than the usual price of around US$2.50-US$3.00.
“Although the bird flu outbreak has affected domestic production, the US has taken steps to increase imports from countries such as Mexico, Canada and Turkey which are closer and have much lower shipping costs,” justified the Pssir Mas MP.
“Additionally, food import controls in the US are among the strictest in the world. Agencies such as the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) set strict regulations on livestock products to avoid the risk of diseases such as bird flu.
“Moreover, Malaysia is not listed as an official supplier of eggs to the US, hence with any import having to pass through strict screening, this makes large-scale smuggling almost impossible because eggs without official veterinary approval cannot be marketed in the US.”
As it is, the skyrocketing egg prices in the US have prompted many Americans to buy eggs from Mexico despite offenders facing the risk of being fined of up to US$300 if caught bringing eggs across the border without permission. – March 23, 2025
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