Enforcement of mandatory engine oil certification in Malaysia postponed six months, to October – KPDN

Ah yes, here it is then, the inevitable postponement, although it did take more than a day before the shift forward came about. It has now been announced that enforcement of the Trade Descriptions Order (Certification and Marking of Engine Oil for Motor Vehicles) 2024, which came into force on Monday, April 7, has been postponed, The Star reports.

Enforcement of the new regulation, which effectively allows authorities to clamp down on the sale of counterfeit motor vehicle engine oils in Malaysia, will now only begin in October, the ministry of domestic trade and cost of living (KPDN) said via a statement.

Gazetted on October 11 last year, the government allowed manufacturers six months to comply with the new regulation. As it turns out, related parties say more time is needed to clear stocks before they can comply with the mandate, which deems that all engine oil products sold in Malaysia, whether produced locally or imported, must now obtain a certificate of authenticity from SIRIM for conformity to the new rules.

Given that request, the ministry has allowed a six-month grace period before enforcement begins. “The ministry received applications and feedback from engine oil industry players and associations on challenges in adhering to this, especially finishing existing stock on the market. Hence, the ministry has agreed to delay the enforcement order for six months, beginning April 7,” said KPDN director-general (enforcement) Datuk Azman Adam.

Under the new regulation, all engine oils have to undergo an authentication process through SIRIM QAS International, which is responsible for certifying and issuing product compliance labels for that purpose. According to the Guidelines for Certification and Marking of Engine Oils for Motor Vehicles on the SIRIM QAS website, products have to undergo several tests before they can be certified.

Upon meeting compliance to these, the applicant will be given certification of a genuine product licence or a batch verification report, which it can then use as a basis to mark the product with the SIRIM genuine product certification. A conformity label, which must be affixed at the top of the container lid of the engine oil, will provide additional security.

It has been said that engine oils with the conformity label will be selected from the market to undergo periodic tests to confirm compliance. Failure to comply with the rules will see offenders being fined or, in some cases, jailed upon conviction.

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