Sarawak against halal-cake policy
THE STAR
KUCHING: The policy by McDonald’s Malaysia to only allow halal-certified cakes into its premises is not welcomed in Sarawak.
Political secretary to the Chief Minister, Michael Tiang, called on the management of the fast food chain not to extend the policy to Sarawak, saying it was “totally incompatible” with the state’s multi-cultural and multi-religious society.
“One of Sarawak's unique features is that there is always harmony and tolerance among the different ethnic groups. Such solidarity is the pride of Sarawakians.
“We cannot condone any religious or racial extremism which will destroy the solidarity among Sarawakians,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
Tiang said that to preserve the state’s harmony, the Sarawak government had denied entry to extremists, religious bigots and racists.
Last week, McDonald’s confirmed that it had implemented a policy barring customers from bringing cakes without halal certification onto its premises, saying that this was a requirement by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
In a related development, Tiang said McDonald’s outlets in Miri took down the notices on the halal-certified cakes after receiving a directive from the head office yesterday.
“As far as I know, Miri’s McDonald’s outlets were the only ones in Sarawak to display the notices at their premises.
“Such prompt action is a wise move and a positive response to the strong objections from Sarawakians towards its policy,” he said.
McDonald’s has three outlets in Miri and 13 in total in Sarawak.
McDonald's Singapore's halal-cake policy in place since 1992
THE STAR
A McDonald's outlet in Singapore. - Filepic
PETALING JAYA: McDonald’s Malaysia’s policy to only permit halal-certified birthday cakes into its premises is not one that is confined to Malaysia.
It is a policy that McDonald’s across the causeway in Singapore has been practising for over twenty years, according to Faz Hussen, McDonald's director of government relations and communications.
“While the consumption of outside food is typically not allowed in our restaurants, we make exceptions for birthday cakes although we ask that the cakes are from halal-certified restaurants or halal sources.
“This regulation was implemented in 1992, when all McDonald’s restaurants in Singapore received Halal certification from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS),” he said in a statement.
He added that McDonald’s Singapore provides birthday cakes as part of the birthday party packages the outlets offer.
“As a halal-certified restaurant, we need to adhere strictly to MUIS regulations to ensure the food we serve is halal and suitable for consumption for our Muslim friends,” he said.
McDonald’s Malaysia was the target of mixed criticism regarding a notice it had put up at outlets to inform customers that only halal-certified birthday cakes were allowed at its restaurants.
On Thursday, it released a statement to clarify that the policy was in line with fulfilling the requirements of its halal certification.
It later issued an apology for the misunderstanding over its notice but affirmed that it would persist with the policy as it needed to ensure that products consumed in its restaurants were certified halal by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
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