Fact Check Pig Noodle Factory Is A 14 Year Old Hoax

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A message about the halal status of a brand of vermicelli noodles (bihun) is going viral, calling for a boycott of the products of the “Chinese-owned company”.
However, checks found the message is at least 14 years old and has been debunked several times, including by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
Still, the message which has racist undertones continues to be circulating on social media platforms, including WhatsApp.
In its latest form, the message falsely alleges that a Penang factory, Kilang Bihun Beras Indah, that was shut down in 2007 for allegedly not meeting hygiene standards has reopened under a new name.
Kilang Bihun Beras Indah was alleged to have operated next to a pig farm and used the same premises and facilities as the farm.
The message alleges the factory was reopened under the company name Kilang Bihun Bersatu Sdn Bhd, which has halal certification.
“The Chinese have gone overboard! (Cina melampaui batas!)” the message reads.
It also provided a list of bumiputera-owned brands to switch to.

Checks found that the message conflates a news report on one factory - Kilang Bihun Beras Indah - with another company, which is a subsidiary of a public-listed firm, KBB Resources Bhd.KBB Resources Bhd is listed on Bursa Malaysia as Eka Noodles.
“We would like to clarify that Kilang Bihun Bersatu Sdn Bhd and Kilang Bihun Beras Indah are two factories with different owners. 
“Kilang Bihun Bersatu Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary of KBB Resources and holds a legitimate halal certification in Malaysia,” Jakim clarified in a statement in 2016.
In 2020, Eka Noodles issued a letter of demand to four Facebook users for circulating false information on its halal status.
It also lodged a police report seeking action under the Multimedia and Communications Act.
2020 version uses photo from China factory
The 2020 version of the viral message included a photograph of workers stepping on the noodles with their bare feet.
In fact, newswire AFP’s checks found the photo was first published in 2014 by Yangcheng Evening News, about a factory in Guangdong province in China.
To note, like many hoaxes circulating online, part of the message is true - there was indeed a noodle factory located next to a pig farm in Penang.
In 2007, Harian Metro reported the factory in Kampung Selamat, Tasek Gelugor was operating 100m away from a pig pen.
However, the local Islamic authority said it is outside of their jurisdiction because the factory does not have halal certification, Harian Metro reported.
The news report, however, does not state that the noodle factory shared the same premises or facilities as the pig pen, as claimed in the viral message.
Anti-PKR and anti-DAP messaging
The fake message has gone viral over the years in various forms.
In a 2013 version, a photo of the Harian Metro news clipping was edited into a photo collage featuring different brands of noodles and pigs rolling in a pen.
On one Facebook page ‘Anti-PKR Club’, this collage is captioned with the message about KBB Resources.
A similar posting was also made by the Facebook page ‘Boikot Barangan Cina DAP’ (Boycott Products by DAP Chinese).
MALAYSIAKINI is part of a fact-checking alliance, JomCheck, made up of media houses, academia, and civil society.
Through JomCheck, Malaysians are able to submit requests to fact-check a claim by sending a WhatsApp message to the tipline at 017-477 6659 (WhatsApp text only, no calls) or via this link. - Mkini

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