bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Local government accused of failing to pass on information to  provincial leaders
The Shijiazhuang  city government had been notified about the milk powder contamination as early as August 2, the New Zealand stakeholder of the mainland dairy group revealed yesterday.
Fonterra, the Auckland-based group that owns 43 per cent of the Sanlu Group,  said it started to push for a public recall of tainted products on August 2, when it first knew about the problem.
'We approached the local authorities - the Shijiazhuang city government - which is established local procedure,' said Jane Hardey  of Fonterra's media department.
This suggested that the local authorities were aware of the Sanlu infant formula problem at least a month before they reported it to their superiors in Hebei province . Shijiazhuang is the provincial capital.
On Saturday, Hebei vice-governor Yang Chongyong  said his government had received a report from the Shijiazhuang government only on September 8.
Shijiazhuang authorities were not available for comment yesterday.
Instead of a public recall, Sanlu, 'in conjunction with' the local authorities in Shijiazhuang, implemented only a trade recall of its infant formula, according to Fonterra spokesman Piet de Jong.
In what is yet another food safety crisis to strike the mainland in recent years, two babies have died after drinking Sanlu milk formula tainted by melamine, a chemical strictly forbidden in food processing.
At least 1,250 infants had developed kidney stones after drinking the milk, according to the Ministry of Health.
Mainland  authorities have been blamed for not alerting consumers once the problem was detected.
But Ministry of Health Party Secretary Gao Qiang   said Sanlu had kept the crisis from the government despite receiving  complaints from customers since March.
Fonterra chief executive Andrew Ferrier  told New Zealand reporters in Singapore on Monday that a request for a public recall was not accepted because Sanlu would 'have to abide by Chinese rules'.
Mr de Jong said: 'Through Fonterra's continued pressure, that trade recall successfully removed the vast majority of affected product from the market.
'Fonterra continued to press along with help from the New Zealand government for a public recall.'
Ms Hardey said Fonterra had advised the New Zealand government on September 5. According to The New Zealand Herald, the country sent its ambassador to China, Tony Brown,  to convey concerns to  mainland authorities.
But the products were not publicly recalled until an announcement was made by Sanlu on Thursday last week.
Hebei authorities said yesterday that they had arrested two more suspects, bringing the total to four. Twenty-two others were in detention, according to China News Service. But the report did not reveal the identities of the newly arrested.
Last week, two brothers surnamed Geng were arrested for selling three tonnes of contaminated milk a day to Sanlu since the end of last year. The pair had run private dairies since May 2004 in Nanluo town, Hebei.
China News Service quoted the Hebei government as saying  four more groups of police investigators would  look into Sanlu's production procedures,  management and technicians, and 'logistical expenses'.
In Hebei alone, 861 babies have become sick from  the milk, but the government claimed none was in serious condition.
A sour taste
Key dates in the latest milk powder scandal
March
Sanlu receives customer complaints about babies falling sick after drinking its milk formula
June 30
Nanfang Daily reports that public inquiry about Sanlu formula announced on website of General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine
Aug 2
New Zealand dairy company Fonterra finds there is a problem and urges Shijiazhuang city government to pull product off shelves, but only a company-initiated recall is implemented
Sep 5
Fonterra contacts New Zealand government after push for product recall fails. New Zealand officials then bypass local officials and inform central government
Sep 8
Hebei provincial government informed about problem
Sep 10
Mainland media report babies falling ill after drinking the formula
Sep 11
Sanlu issues recall of any product made before August 6
Sep 13
Ministry of Health orders recall of milk powder products made by Sanlu
Sep 15
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark reveals how her government acted as whistle-blower
Two brothers arrested in Shijiazhuang for selling adulterated milk to Sanlu



Officials 'knew of tainted milk for a month'