September 20, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – WHEN Religious Minister Datuk Dr Naim Mokhtar Abdullah announced that Jakim was mulling over requiring all restaurants except those serving pork and liquor to have halal certification, he probably did not expect to run into a storm.
After all, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia’s proposal did not affect outlets that strictly serve non-Muslims.
Jakim must have observed the mushrooming of restaurants that loudly proclaim to be “Muslim friendly’’ with “no pork, no lard” signs while some shout that they are run by “Chinese Muslims’.’
A closer look, however, would reveal that most of these restaurants, while having visible Muslims staff, do not have halal accreditation. These include those owned by China-born Muslims now operating in Malaysia, especially the popular Lanzhou pulled mee eateries.
“Pork free” is not tantamount to halal, something many non-Muslims may not understand.
Nevertheless, many non-Muslim restaurant owners now see the upside of going pork-free, or better still, to be properly halal certified, because the reality is that 70% of the population are bumiputras, and mainly Muslims.
The Chinese population is shrinking – they make up only 25% of Malaysians now – and will continue to slide further in coming years.
Even without Jakim’s prompting, more hotels and restaurants will opt to be halal-compliant. And a certificate still does not guarantee that these eateries will be fully patronised by Muslim customers.
For businessmen targeting mass and multiple stores, getting a halal certification is surely the right move.
It is also easier to cater and supply to multinational corporations, government, and chain stores who insist on halal-certified food. Being pork-free is just not good enough.
Halal is a way for Muslims to uphold their religious obligations, purity, and lifestyle. It is not just about food but extends beyond that. This is something that non-Muslims must understand as it is a very fundamental aspect of being a Muslim.
Naim, however, would be better advised to engage restaurant owners, openly and privately, to work out how the process of applying for these halal certificates can be simplified and sped up.
It may only cost RM100 a year or RM1,000 annually for the certificate but the additional costs for renovations to fulfil other requirements can deter many small-time businessmen.
Then there are those who fork out huge sums to consultants to help them apply for these certificates although there is no requirement to do so. Still, businessmen prefer to pay someone who knows how to navigate the bureaucracy. I am told that costs between RM4,000 and RM8,000.
Those who have applied for these certificates say they had to handle additional costs of between RM2,000 and RM5,000 a month, depending on the scale of the business.
Let’s admit it. Applying for a halal certificate is not a straightforward process as the average wait can be between four and six months.
Just last week, comedian/chef Nigel Ng, aka Uncle Roger, who has just opened a fried rice restaurant at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, released a video appealing to Jakim to speed up his halal certification application.
Some businessmen have also made allegations about how approvals can be sped up by other means, but until they actually lodge reports with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC), these remain unsubstantiated claims.
The fastest is said to be three months – if all the documents are ready and an experienced team is able to liaise with Jakim.
The Halal Development Corporation Bhd (HDC) and Jakim have also announced moves to make the certification process easier, specifically in the pre-approval and post-approval process.
Jakim has pledged to reduce the processing time to just 23 working days. Upon approval, HDC will make halal certification convenient. This is a move in the right direction.
It is understandable that the process of auditing and checking the premises and the supply chain can take time but it is good that Jakim understands the need to improve its performance too.
For many restaurants, the challenges include sourcing for raw material to make them halal certified, which means minor tweaks to their recipes. But with halal raw materials now easily available, according to restaurant owners I speak to, it is not a valid excuse.
There is also the need for additional manpower as many even engage a halal executive, but in-house administration staff trained to handle Jakim requirements can also manage this.
For example, a popular bubble tea chain owner said his company needed about two months to apply for a new menu, but any additional new items only took an extra month.
For these eateries, though, the revenue returns after the wait and additional expenditure have been worth it. They have seen their customers increase in number, especially Muslims, assured by the Jakim logo.
The consumer power of Muslims must never be underestimated. Just look at what happened with their boycott of Starbucks and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
It cannot be denied that halal certification can generate employment and bring substantial revenue as well as new opportunities. But it must be a business decision, not a law.
Jakim was set up as a government agency to determine the development and progress of Islamic affairs as well as to help formulate and harmonise the necessary laws and regulations.
It answers to the National Council of Islamic Affairs, now headed by Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak. It was previously chaired by Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah for two years.
It has to be remembered that Naim’s proposal has not even been discussed at the Cabinet level or among the Rulers.
Naim has good intentions – to protect Muslims as halal is a sensitive matter – but he must have overlooked the fact that many Indian-run restaurants do not serve pork or beef.
They are vegetarian restaurants, and while the raw materials they use may not meet Jakim’s standards, it does not make sense to insist that they apply for halal certification.
It’s the same with Chinese vegetarian shops as even with halal certificates, it is unlikely that Muslims will patronise these eateries. Their dishes probably will not suit the taste buds of most Malays.
Surely it will be odd to have Jakim officers, who are Muslims, carrying out inspections and imposing their standards and requirements on such shops, which have Hindu and Buddhists values.
Then there are the thousands of kopitiams all over the country, especially near government offices and police stations. They are mostly run by ageing mum-and-dad teams and sell only roti bakar, eggs, and coffee.
They don’t sell pork because their clients are almost all Muslims. Does Jakim really want to impose the rule on them? They will likely just close shop and retire, which would be sad. They are so much an integral part of Malaysian life and culture.
Such eateries also exist in small towns and are melting pots where older people of all faiths and races still come together, although they have become much less distinct now.
How can we insist that they renovate their kitchens, supply entries, and have a new set of utensils and wares when they probably have only five tables in their shops?
There are hundreds of thousands of non-Muslim stalls and small shops selling pork-free beef noodles, fish-paste yong tau foo, Thai food, yoo tiao, chee cheong fun, tau foo fah, seafood porridge, fish head curry, grilled fish, and nasi lemak.
Jakim is not a sacred entity that cannot be criticised, and Naim, as a learned scholar and not a politician, would certainly have understood that.
But our politicians, unfortunately, cannot communicate well. Maybe it’s intentional because they think that raising the political temperature will make them champions of their respective races.
When DAP Member of Parliament Teresa Kok made a dismissive remark about the Jakim proposal – saying it would make Malaysia a “laughing stock abroad’’ – she should have been prepared for the backlash from Muslims.
Last week, she met with HDC officials, something she should have done first to understand the matter better.
Instead, she provided Umno Youth chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh with fodder to stoke the fire. In his trademark toxic and uncouth manner, he resorted to name calling, labelling Kok a “nonya tua” and wanted to “paste a non-halal logo on her forehead”.
The Seputeh MP now finds herself being investigated by the police. Surely serial rabble-rousers like Dr Akmal and some religious preachers should also get the same treatment.
Rightly or wrongly, the police have been criticised for having been swift in investigating certain cases and personalities but dragging their feet on others, giving the impression that they have selective priorities.
In Kok’s case, the standard operating procedure is that the police, by law, must investigate once reports have been lodged. They cannot refuse to carry out a probe.
Some of our politicians are incapable of taking part in a discourse civilly and they are the ones who are usually to blame for stirring up controversies that lead to unnecessary ill-will that divide Malaysians.
It is not correct to suggest that non-Muslims should refrain from speaking about this issue – as amplified by some politicians – as the proposal directly affects many non-Muslim food operators, with huge implications.
Malaysians are mature enough to discuss any contentious issue in a respectful and convincing manner. Let there be no compulsion and coercion.
Businessmen are realistic people. They will understand the fast-changing demographics. But then, not everyone has the means to make an immediate change.