KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 – Malaysia has achieved another milestone in the agricultural sector with the successful entry of fresh Malaysian pineapples into the New Zealand market, marking a significant step in expanding the country’s agricultural exports.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mohamad Sabu, officiated the Malaysian Fresh Pineapple Export Container Send-Off Ceremony to New Zealand at the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
Mohamad said the achievement reflects growing international confidence in the quality and safety of Malaysian agricultural produce, particularly pineapples, which have gained recognition in global markets.
“Malaysia produces more than 530,000 metric tonnes of pineapples annually, including premium varieties such as MD2, Josapine and N36, which possess the quality and standards required to compete internationally,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM), the Department of Agriculture, the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS), exporters and industry players for their collective efforts in ensuring Malaysian pineapples meet New Zealand’s stringent import requirements.
“This success is the result of close cooperation among government agencies and industry stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to ensure compliance with international standards,” he added.
According to Mohamad, initial demand from New Zealand is estimated at one container per month, generating an annual export value of approximately RM4.32 million.
He said the new market access would create additional opportunities for local pineapple growers and exporters while strengthening the country’s pineapple industry towards achieving the national export target of RM2 billion by 2027.
“This is only the beginning. We hope to penetrate more premium international markets in the future and further enhance Malaysia’s reputation as a producer and exporter of high-quality pineapples,” he said.
Mohamad added that the government remains committed to supporting the growth of the agricultural sector and expanding export opportunities to benefit farmers, entrepreneurs and the national economy.
The latest export development is expected to contribute positively to Malaysia’s agricultural trade performance while strengthening the country’s position in the global fresh fruit market.
— MINUTESMY
![KUALA LUMPUR, JUNE 24 -- The Child Protection Code (CPC) sets out a safe, practical and responsible age verification mechanism to ensure that only eligible users are allowed to access social media platforms. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the CPC together with the Risk Reduction Code (RMC) were published by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on May 22, and came into effect on June 1 under the Online Safety Act 2025 [Act 866]. He said both codes aim to create a safer online environment, particularly to protect children from online risks and harm. "Under the CPC, licensed service providers offering social media services are required to implement an age verification mechanism, rather than identity verification, to ensure compliance with the minimum age limit set. "Users who have reached the age of 16 are allowed to register and have social media accounts, while individuals under that age are not allowed to open or have social media accounts until they reach the specified age," he said during a question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat, today. He was answering Syahredzan Johan's (PH-Bangi) original question regarding the purpose of implementing age verification for social media accounts, as well as measures to ensure access to personal data is restricted and deleted after use. Fahmi said the implementation of the mechanism should be done safely, practically and respectful of user privacy, in line with the requirements set out under the CPC. Social media service providers are also required to ensure that the process complies with laws relating to personal data protection, including the principles of data minimization, and purpose limitation by limiting data collection to information necessary for age verification purposes and disposing of it upon completion. He said the age verification mechanism should be implemented based on official documents issued by the Malaysian Government such as MyKad, passport, birth certificate or other documents recognised by the government. "To ensure that the age verification mechanism is not manipulated, age verification must be supported by official government records and not just self-declaration." "The CPC also allows the use of other documents recognised by the Malaysian Government, including equivalent records issued by competent authorities in other jurisdictions so that access to online protection can be provided equitably to all children regardless of their documentation status," he said. Fahmi said the implementation of age verification does not permanently prevent children from using social media, but rather postpones account ownership until they reach the age of 16, and have a more appropriate level of maturity to use the platform safely and responsibly. He said the approach known as the "Wait 16" initiative was introduced to protect children and families from online risks and harm. -- BERNAMA](https://minutesmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/TB_Fahmi-Fadzil-Dewan-Rakyat_BERNAMA-1024x576.webp)
