GEORGE TOWN: Zamzam water from Mecca, Saudi Arabia is still being sold openly in the state despite being banned.
Checks by New Straits Times found a shop near Chowrasta Market selling Islamic prayer items including perfume and prayer mats, selling the water packed in mineral water bottles.
The zamzam water bottles were placed together with other water bottles.
The seller is selling it in two different sizes, with the smaller one priced at RM12 while the larger one at 500 mililitres is being sold for RM28.
When asked, the seller said that the water was real zamzam water imported from Mecca but bottled here locally before it was distributed to local retail shops to be sold.
However, the seller kept mum and dodged the question when asked whether they have clearance from the government to sell the zamzam water.
"I do not know what are you talking about, we have been selling this for many years," said the salesperson.
Yesterday the Health Ministry announced that it would conduct a sweep on the sale of zamzam water following a ban issued by the Saudi Arabian Embassy.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said parties caught selling zamzam water faced a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or jail not more than two years under the Food Regulations 1985.
He said the ministry, through the Food Safety and Quality Division, was taking action against the sale of zamzam water under Section 4(1) (f) of Food Act 1983.
The ministry had confiscated RM58,191.80 worth of zamzam water between 2012 to October this year.
Zamzam water is usually taken by people performing haj and umrah pilgrimage.
The distribution of the water was for the personal consumption of the visitors and available in limited quantity.