Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that Pakatan Harapan's (PH) stance on the matter of halal certification is not aligned with the remarks made by Seputeh Member of Parliament, Teresa Kok.
The Prime Minister claimed that, among other things, the DAP Vice President's remarks caused controversy unrelated to the nation's community, as reported by Bacalah Malaysia.
In order for a topic to be fully investigated, he—who is also the Minister of Finance—encouraged political leaders to voice any ideas or concerns at the meeting.
"There's no need to be like this because this creates an irrelevant controversy in our society. There is an issue; laws are required to prevent Muslims from feeling uneasy. During the ceremony of the Rest and Treatment Place (R&R) Seremban (south direction), he remarked, “But if Teresa feels that the rule is not needed in a certain area, discuss it properly (at the meeting).”
According to a statement from Teresa, halal certification should be voluntary so that business owners can decide what to do based on market demand rather than coercion.
According to the government MP from DAP, requiring restaurants and food enterprises to get a halal certificate will simply make running a business more complex and burden small businesses.
Teresa argues that the imposition of required halal certification will result in higher administrative expenses.
Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, a minister in the Prime Minister's Department of Religious Affairs, stated last Thursday that the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (JAKIM) was looking into a proposal to mandate halal certification for eateries and food businesses.
A number of groups, including opposition parties, UMNO leaders, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce, criticized Teresa's statement.
“Teresa shouldn't have made any statements that weren't thought to be useful in clarifying the situation,” according to Anwar.
It is acceptable for her to represent some parties, but there is no need to openly disclose this as it serves no purpose in providing clarification.
"We must consider the feelings of both Muslims and non-Muslims. First, the right way is to negotiate with the government first, not by showing off each other’s potential.
"Our country is in a good state now, the politics are stable, the world's appreciation is good, the economy is on the rise (therefore), and what is the need for this matter to destroy the harmony and well-being of the country?" remarked the prime minister.
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