The nation was recently outraged after a university student claimed that a sandwich sold at a KK Mart in Universiti Malaya (UM) displayed a fake halal logo. Shortly afterward, on January 10, 2025, the Pembina Universiti Malaya (UM), a student group linked to Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), posted a video on TikTok. The video featured a search on the official Malaysia Halal Status Verification website, revealing that neither the product nor the store had Halal certification or status. Pembina UM then promptly lodged a police report regarding the issue.
In response to the claim and the police report, Universiti Malaya (UM) promptly closed two KK Mart outlets on its campus. "The directive was issued to allow investigations into the allegations to proceed without interference. The outlets will remain closed until further notice," the university stated on the 10th of January 2025. UM emphasized its commitment to ensuring that all products sold on campus are sourced from suppliers who comply with the necessary regulations.
In response to the situation, KK Mart immediately stopped supplying the pre-packed chicken ham and sandwiches across all its outlets. On January 13, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) issued a media statement confirming that the ham-and-cheese sandwiches sold at the convenience store in the public university were not halal-certified. They also clarified that Shake and Bake Cafe Sdn Bhd, the company producing the product, was not a holder of the Malaysian Halal Certification (SPHM). Meanwhile, KK Mart defended its position, stating that it had relied on the supplier, Shake and Bake Cafe Sdn Bhd, for the halal certification of the product. The company announced it had filed a police report against Shake and Bake and planned to pursue legal action.
So, how did Shake and Bake Café respond to all this? The supplier of the pre-packed chicken ham and cheese sandwiches confirmed that the meat used in their product is halal-certified. On the evening of January 15, Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that the supplier provided details of the sandwich ingredients in a statement, listing bread, cheese, and halal-certified chicken slices. They also clarified that the certification was granted by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM). "Shake and Bake confirms that the chicken ham used in its sandwiches has halal certification from JAKIM," the café stated.
After Shake and Bake Café’s clarification, my question is: what’s the real issue here? The ‘ham’ in the ham and cheese sandwich is chicken and halal-certified. While it’s true that the sandwich as a whole isn't halal-certified, since halal certification involves stringent standards for handling, preparation, and processing, that’s not the core concern. The main issue stems from the use of the word ‘ham’. "Ham contains pork, and the sandwich was sold at UM, where the majority of the community is Malay. We can accept it if it's sold to non-Malays, like Chinese or Indian customers, but why is there a halal logo on the packaging?" Dr Akmal questioned in a Facebook post on January 12, 2025.
Dr. Akmal reinforced his stance that "ham means meat that comes from pork" in a Facebook post on January 15, 2025, responding to Nga Kok Ming's tweet. For context, on January 14, 2024, the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Nga Kok Ming, tweeted that "ham refers to a process of preparing food, and we have turkey ham and chicken ham, both suitable for consumption." He concluded his post by calling anyone making an issue out of it an "idiot."
Since Shake and Bake Café clarified that the meat in the pre-packed ham and cheese sandwich is chicken and halal-certified, what is the real issue here? Initially, the controversy arose because certain parties and politicians were concerned that the word “ham” implied the product contained pork, questioning how a pork-derived item could carry a halal label. However, with the latest information, it’s clear that the meat is indeed chicken and, importantly, it is halal-certified.
Why are we, a multiracial nation, still up in arms over this issue? We are so enraged to the point that Malaysian actor and comedian, Shahrol Azizie has lodged a police report against comedian Harith Iskander for his joke on the “ham and cheese” issue. On 18th of January 2025, Harith Iskandar posted a joke on Facebook regarding the “ham and cheese” issue by stating the following:
"Im SO confused. My iman tergugat.
This kopi will lead me down the wrong path in so many ways.
Not just tempting me to become hamsap but ALSO confusing me with the word 'ham' in it. Ni untuk minum atau makan?
I must make a polis report because i am so weak i have lost all ability to use logic.
Who else is confused? 😂 #confused"
On this matter, I have two points to make. First, it’s just a joke. At no point does Harith Iskander mock his own religion, Islam. He merely mocks those who make a mountain out of a molehill of the “ham and cheese” issue. If you are triggered, just remember that siapa makan cili, dia rasa pedas. Second, he is right. Do we have so little faith in the intellect and critical faculties of our fellow Muslim brethren that we believe they cannot think critically or logically about the “ham and cheese” issue? Or do we doubt their tolerance and sensitivity so much that we think a simple word like ‘ham’ could provoke outrage? Should we outright ban ‘HAMburger’ right now just because it has the word ‘ham’ on it?
As we reflect on this controversy, it's worth questioning whether we're focusing on the right issues or getting caught up in semantics. Are we, as a society, underestimating our ability to engage in nuanced discussions about language and context, especially in a multicultural nation like ours? Is the outrage justified, or are we giving words too much power over our perceptions and reactions? Instead of allowing words like ‘ham’ to divide us, perhaps it’s time to foster greater understanding and trust in each other's judgment. Let’s not let a single word cloud the bigger picture of unity and common sense.
Aaron Colt is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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