Non-Muslim businesses
cannot be forced to obtain
halal certs, says Zahid
The deputy prime minister reiterates that no decision has been made on mandating halal certification, and the Cabinet will discuss the proposal on Wednesday.
Zahid said he understood the concerns being raised as he was once the Islamic affairs minister.
he said at the MIC annual general assembly today.Islam says, your religion is for you, my religion is for me. It means that for other religions to respect yours, you must respect theirs,
He also clarified that no decision has been made to mandate halal certification for food establishments, and that the Cabinet will discuss the matter at its meeting on Wednesday.
he said.The question of halal and haram has long been a part of this country. Some non-Muslim business owners already voluntarily seek halal certification, but no decision has been made to make it mandatory for all restaurants nationwide,
That’s why the prime minister (Anwar Ibrahim) has tasked the religious affairs minister, Na’im Mokhtar, to provide an update on the status of the proposal during Wednesday’s meeting.
Last week, Na’im said the Islamic development department (Jakim) was considering a proposal for halal certification to be made mandatory for eateries that do not serve pork and alcohol, adding that it was currently being done voluntarily.
In response, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok called for halal certification to remain voluntary, saying the government should allow business operators to decide based on market demand rather than forcing them as it would add to the cost of doing business.
Her remarks irked several parties, including Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, while Anwar distanced himself from Kok, saying her views were personal and not that of Pakatan Harapan.
Yesterday, Na’im advised against unnecessary disputes over the proposal, stressing that it was still in the early stages of consideration.
Constitutionally, Islamic Syaria law cannot be imposed on Non Muslims.
ReplyDeleteHowever, local authorities can easily use civil by-law powers to mandate that any non-Muslim non-Halal food outlets are required to clearly display "for Non-Muslims only", non-complaince on pain of fines, or loss of licence.
Terengganu has already done that for years.
The reality in Kelantan..
ReplyDeleteNon- Muslim food outlets that do not have Halal certification are mandated to clearly display that their food is not for Muslims.
Coming soon to the rest of Malaysia.
Support Teresa !
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