According to The Star Online, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said that he would direct his officers to probe the claims.

"I do not want to comment on the issue at the moment but will direct my officers to look into the claims," he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Monday (23 September).

He was asked to comment on a news report there were some poultry traders who dyed their farm chickens with yellow industrial pigment believed to be Aniline to pass off them off as 'kampung chicken' or free-range chickens.

A poultry trader claimed that consumers, mainly from the Chinese community, were duped into thinking they were purchasing kampung chickens owing to the bright yellow colour.

The trader claimed that the chickens were in fact normal farm chickens, which were freshly slaughtered at the wet markets and soaked in the yellowish substance.

"The move was intended to attract customers, as the Chinese prefer chicken with yellowish skin while consumers of other racial groups have no such preference," said the news report when quoting the trader who remained anonymous.

Selangor/Wilayah Persekutuan Chicken and Duck Traders Association vice-president Yap Chau Hen admitted that there are some traders who resorted to such tactics.

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Hasan Malek said the ministry's could only act against errant chicken traders if tests carried out on the affected chickens confirm the presence of ban chemical substances.