People Are Throwing Away M’sia Bak Kwa at the S’pore Borders As They Thought They Can Bring Them In

By
George Yang
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You might have read that the Food Safety and Security Act has been passed in Singapore last year, and that you can bring in bak kwa from Malaysia.

Well, hold your horses.

You still can’t.

People Are Throwing Away Bak Kwa at the S’pore Borders As They Thought They Can Bring Them In

Travellers entering Singapore are still prohibited from bringing in bak kwa from Malaysia despite the recent passing of the Food Safety and Security Act in Parliament.

The new law, which will eventually allow individuals to bring up to 15kg of food products from overseas, has not yet taken effect. It’s unknown when it will take place as it takes time for the changes to be implemented.

However, some Singapore residents crossing the border to Malaysia for Chinese New Year shopping thought otherwise.

Even shops in Malaysia are confused, too.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, Facebook users reported their bak kwa being confiscated at immigration checkpoints, with some losing hundreds of Malaysian ringgit worth of products.

One traveller described seeing garbage bins filled with discarded meat jerky products.

The price difference makes Malaysian bak kwa attractive to Singapore buyers.

At Johor Bahru’s City Square, popular varieties sell for RM108 (S$33) to RM130 (S$40) per kilogram, nearly half the price of similar products in Singapore, which cost between S$58 to S$80 per kilogram.

A 58-year-old housewife who recently drove to Johor Bahru for Chinese New Year shopping, told Lianhe Zaobao that everyone thought they could already bring in meat jerky.

The stalls even displayed news about the 15kg allowance, and many Singaporeans were queuing to buy.

SFA: Cannot Yet Lah

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) clarified that current regulations remain in force.

Imported meat and seafood products for personal consumption are limited to 5kg each and must come from approved sources. Malaysia is not currently an approved source for meat products for personal use, though countries like Australia, the United States, and Japan are approved for importing up to 5kg of pork products.

Under the new law, once implemented, origin restrictions on meat products will be lifted, and the public can bring in 15kg of food items, including Malaysian bak kwa.

However, high-risk foods like animal blood and wild game meat will remain prohibited even after the new law takes effect.

The implementation timeline for the new regulations has not been announced. Previous reports indicate the law will be implemented in phases between the second half of this year and 2028.

And that’s not all: Local businesses have expressed concerns about the future impact.

A director of a local bak kwa chain with 40 outlets said at least 10 customers reported their relatives having products confiscated at checkpoints.

She noted concerns about how cross-border food imports and online shopping policies might affect local industries, particularly small and medium-sized manufacturers, food centres, and wet market vendors.

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George Yang
Email: [email protected]