EDITORIAL : THE NEW STRAITS TIMES, MALAYSIA

 

An eggy conundrum

FOR millennia, humans have been asking this question: "Which came first: the chicken or the egg?" A seemingly pointless question, it has nonetheless occupied countless curious minds during idle hours. Yet, in spite of mankind's supposedly superior intellect, the question did not look likely to ever be answered. Until, possibly, recently. Thanks to that human ingenuity of being able to create artificial things in the laboratory, mankind has perhaps created a convenient way of answering the chicken-egg question -- by taking the chicken out of the equation completely. The question humans must ask from now on: "Is this egg real or fake?"

The very idea of fake eggs is mind-boggling and a real challenge to morality --- of the depths to which some people are willing to exploit their fellow human beings, even to the extent of putting lives at risk from this artificial food. For these fakes are not only completely artificially-constructed but they also have no nutritional value.

In a food market and consumer culture that is already over-saturated with processed foods that many have come to think of as "normal", the humble egg is the simplest source of protein, so consuming fake eggs will rob people of the valuable nutrients they need to survive -- and this will most likely affect the poorest of the poor, who can little afford other sources of protein.

That it can come to this is a sad reflection of how poor a society can become. In China, where the fake egg phenomenon began, it was hardcore poverty coupled with weak integrity and morals that drove people to peddle fake eggs. Such a situation can be replicated anywhere where economic opportunities are slim. Yet, regardless of economic situations, the need to strengthen morality and integrity is great. People who run websites that "helpfully" detail the step-by-step process of making fake eggs are obviously not money-poor, but are deeply destitute in scruples and morals.

But even as experts debate on whether anyone would go through the bother of making and selling fake eggs here in Malaysia, the real issue is: what are we going to do about it if it does exist? Are the laws and enforcement sufficient to detect such crimes?

Enforcement officers in charge of checking the integrity of food items should not assume that traders are honourable. Therefore, market tests and random checks should not rely on self-declaration.

There will always be opportunists who will eschew values, ethics and morals in pursuit of money. Strict enforcement of the law will steeply raise the cost of doing crooked business and reduce the profit margin such that going into the fake egg enterprise is not worth the bother. And that's how you deal with such fakers.