Meat cartel: Umno Youth calls on govt to hire more halal division officers

 

Umno Youth has proposed that the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) expand the number of workers in its halal division.

This came following the revelation that a cartel had been smuggling non-certified meat into the country and passing it off as halal for 40 years.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said at present, the number of halal division workers did not match the volume of work involved locally and abroad.

"Umno Youth was informed that some halal (division) staff members at the state level are still contract workers even though they have been at the job for eight years or more.

"There needs to be an immediate increase in halal supervision workers in Jakim and state religious departments that can cope with the dire need, not just for halal certification, but monitoring and enforcement," he said in a statement today.

Asyraf also called on the disclosure of the companies involved in the meat cartel, and for all their products to be recalled from the market.

He urged a multi-enforcement agency taskforce to investigate the matter and bring the mastermind to justice.

Earlier this month, Sinar Harian reported that authorities had busted a cartel smuggling meat from Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina and China and then repackaging it with the halal logo.

It was reported that some of the meats were from kangaroos and horses.

The cartel is said to involve officers from various agencies.

Asyraf said the responsibility of monitoring and enforcing halal certification doesn't fall on Jakim's shoulders alone and other agencies such as police, customs, and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry must play their part. - Mkini