Seputeh MP Teresa Kok for the umpteenth time caused a controversy involving a religious issue, this time on the obligatory halal certificate, which drew flak from her own bloc, including PM Anwar Ibrahim, the combative and fiery Dr Akmal Saleh of Umno Youth, and even the usually laidback Amanah guys.
Not every day can one trigger such a bi-partisan response, as Perikatan Nasional jumped in with their police reports on Teresa, lodged by Bersatu youth.
Religious affairs minister Dr. Mohd Naim recently said that JAKIM is considering making halal certification obligatory for food operators that do not sell pork or alcohol.
This comes amid heightened concern about several famous restaurants that do not have halal certification. They include Bungkus Kaw Kaw, Ayam Penyet Best Station, Dolly Dim Sum, Ah Cheng Laksa. According to a collection of press statements here, the restaurants are still working to get their halal certificates, which can be a long and tedious process.
As a response, Teresa Kok has said that the yet-to-be-implemented policy would burden food vendors,
"The requirement for halal certificates on restaurants and food companies that do not serve pork and alcohol will burden small businesses, including Malay restaurant operators.
“This shouldn’t be compulsory, but optional. If it’s made compulsory, it will only increase the administrative costs,” she said.
Though this is a fair argument, the rest of her statement is not. Her antics about how it could make Malaysia a joke, destroy social harmony, and embarrass Malaysia are an unnecessary exaggeration and littered with Islamophobic messaging. DAP sec-gen Anthony Loke's statement on Teresa voicing out non-Muslim concerns can be considered as adding fuel to the fire.
Many Muslim internet users have come out to explain the quality of Jakim's halal certificate, which is sought after by countries worldwide seeking to explore the billion-dollar halal market.
Agriculture entrepreneur Mohamad Jamalee responded that the halal standard is just one of many other standards in food preparation, such as International Food Standards, Global Food Safety Initiative, and Good Manufacturing Safety.
"You see, I am a very reasonable man. If your argument is that the strict Halalan-Toyyiban standards will make it difficult for traders to obtain halal certification and might increase costs, I can understand that. Indeed, SMEs face challenges in meeting all the guidelines such as those in SDG and ESG. I understand the constraints.
"But your argument is that "non-Muslim society will be concerned." Concerned about what? Concerned that the food is too safe and clean? Concerned that the food from farm to the plate comes from sources that are assuredly clean in every aspect? What exactly are you and "non-Muslim society" worried about? Please explain." - Mohamad Jamalee.
In a separate post reacting to political influencer Liyana Marzuki's take on the issue, Jamalee said that the problem with Teresa and Anthony is that they are still stuck with the stigma that halal equals to converting to Islam, adding that their points against the obligatory certificate are not so much about the ability to fulfill the standard, but rather pivots toward Islamophobic messaging.
Azri Zahier Azmi, founder of the Hausboom drink brand, said that most food operators want the halal logo.
"The halal certification is important in Malaysia because our situation is somewhat unique. The majority of business owners are not from the majority ethnic/religious group. Do you understand? Restaurant owners and food and beverage operators in Malaysia are mostly non-Muslims, while the majority of the market is Muslim. Even Muslim restaurateurs need to have a halal certification because their suppliers are non-Muslims. They (non-Muslim suppliers) don’t understand the concept of HALALAN-TOYYIBAN the way Muslims do. Halal is not just about “no pork, no lard.” -Azri Zahier Azmi.
Dr Mohd Izhar Ariff, one of the halal certificate panelists for over 13 years, said that encouraging eateries to get their halal certificates is important because many operators are thinking about profit without caring for the cleanliness and safety of their food products.
“Religious authorities have never made Halal certification mandatory for operators/traders; rather, their role has been more about encouraging it to ensure that food products in the country are more reliable in terms of halal compliance and cleanliness.” - Dr Mohd Izhar Ariff.
But journalist Ab Jalil Backer agrees with Teresa. He said that Muslims cannot control their appetite and that they are willing to eat at restaurants that are dubious when it comes to halal status.
“Muslim consumers should have been encouraged to choose eateries that are trusted to be halal. Hence Muslim businesses stand to gain compared to big brands owned by Non-Muslims.” - Ab Jalil Backer.
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