PM’s political secretary’s statement is accurate: Certification should be encouraged, not mandatory

KUALA LUMPUR: The statement by the Prime Minister’s Political Secretary, Datuk Azman Abidin, suggesting that the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) should not mandate halal certification for all restaurants that do not serve pork and alcohol is considered accurate.

Azmi Hassan, a fellow at the National Professors Council and the Nusantara Research Academy (NASR), agrees with Azman’s statement, as he believes that the earlier remarks by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, regarding halal certification were incomplete.

“He mentioned that the certification is exempt for restaurants serving pork and alcohol. However, the reality is that many restaurants frequented by Malays operated by non-Malays do not serve alcohol and pork,” he said.

Azmi further noted that most large restaurants are unwilling to obtain halal certification due to the overly complicated process and the increased costs.

He believes that halal certification should not be mandatory for every restaurant.

“Restaurants that want to attract Malay customers should have halal certification. However, it should also align with current market demands. Whether a restaurant wants it or not should be considered,” he said.

The Malaysiakini portal previously reported that Azman believes JAKIM should not mandate halal certification for all restaurants that do not serve pork and alcohol.

While welcoming the suggestion, Azman stated that applying for halal certification is a challenging process. He added that JAKIM needs to conduct a deeper review before considering it.

This issue arose after Na’im announced that JAKIM is considering the proposal. However, it was opposed by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who described it as potentially increasing the burden on businesses, including thousands of Malay restaurant operators.