Halal certification will remain voluntary, says Zahid

 

Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said halal certification would remain open to companies willing to comply with all the requirements.

PETALING JAYA: 

Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says the Cabinet today agreed to maintain the long-standing policy that halal certification will be on a voluntary basis.

Zahid said in a statement that the policy – which has been in place since 1974 – would remain in effect, and that halal certification would only be for companies willing to comply with all the relevant requirements, standards, and regulations.

The Malaysian Islamic development department (Jakim) encourages industry players to apply for halal certification as it can provide assurances to Muslim customers that they can dine in these establishments without any doubt,

 he said.

On Sept 5, religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar said Jakim was considering a proposal to make halal certification a requirement for restaurants that did not serve pork or alcohol.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim previously tasked Na’im with providing an update on the status of the proposal during today’s Cabinet meeting.

The issue sparked controversy when Seputeh MP Teresa Kok called for halal certification to remain voluntary, saying the government should allow business operators to decide based on market demand rather than forcing them as it would add to the cost of doing business.

Her remarks irked several parties, including Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, while Anwar distanced himself from Kok, saying her views were personal and not that of Pakatan Harapan.

Na’im had advised against unnecessary disputes over the proposal, stressing that it was still in the early stages of consideration. - FMT