KUALA LUMPUR: Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin wants enforcement officers to stop seizing paint brushes made of pig bristles.

"I have ordered my enforcement officers to stop all raids as of yesterday (Wednesday) evening after the post-Cabinet meeting.

"We don't want them to go to the extreme and make it look as though it is a big problem in the country," Hamzah told reporters on Thursday.

He said traders had been given a month to label the brushes correctly, including specifying if they are made of pig or dog products.

He noted, however, that it would be sufficient to label the brushes with words "The products are made of animal bristles."

He said enforcement officers have been told to educate the traders instead of penalising them as the problem was due to manufacturers who did not provide the proper labelling.

He said it is not necessary to have a separate 'halal' label for non-food products as suggested by Muslim Consumer Association of Malaysia activist Datuk Nadzim Johan.

Hamzah said he was disappointed that the paint brush had been turned into a racial and religious issue.

"I am aware that there are groups and non-governmental organisations who will use this to split the people and blame the government," he said.

The Ministry seized some 2,000 paint brushes made from pig bristles worth over RM10,000 since Tuesday.

Hamzah said that the ministry will decide later on what it should do with the seized brushes.