September 13, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: The decision for every application to obtain a halal certificate must be given within 30 working days and there is no reason for it to be delayed, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said he had heard complaints that the application process took from nine months to two years, and some only received feedback that the application was not approved after two years.
"The report I received from JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) shows that they have taken some proactive steps and the approval results have been expedited. The information may only be information on paper, but there are still complaints out there.
"There must be continuity between the process of improving and speeding up the issuance of the certificate," he said in his keynote speech at the Halal Sector Forum 2023, today.
Ahmad Zahid who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) also wants halal certification workshops to be held three times a year to expedite the issuance of halal certificates to new applicants and those who wish to renew their certificates.
At the same time, he said the procedure for obtaining a halal certificate also needs to be simplified so as not to trouble applicants and that can be done if there is cooperation between religious groups and experts and halal industry players.
"We have to get out of the cocoon of working in silos," he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said to determine the renewal of halal certification, the People's Trust Council (MARA) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) have offered courses with a syllabus based on JAKIM's recommendations, especially in the halal field.
Through the initiative he said MARA, through Giatmara and several other TVETs were asked to produce more halal auditors in the industry that manufactures halal products.
In fact, he said the University of Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) has also created courses related to the halal industry at the Degree, Master's and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) levels.
"Therefore, I request that multinational companies (MNCs) as well as large companies, especially export-based products or manufacturers, should employ halal auditors to determine the halal standards and procedures that can be followed based on the professional advice and views of these auditors.
"In this regard, I would like to suggest, based on the Prime Minister's recommendation that synergy measures should be carried out by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), the Malaysian Foreign Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC), JAKIM, Malaysian Standards Department (JSM) and MARA so that coordination can be done immediately.
Ahmad Zahid said he has given a period until Oct 3 to implement those efforts before he chairs the Malaysian Halal Development Council.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid spent time visiting the Halal Sector Forum 2023 exhibition site and witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the MARA exhibitor.
