Ex-restaurateur turned PM's aide disagrees with mandatory halal cert

Ex-restaurateur turned PM's aide disagrees with mandatory halal cert


Published: Sep 9, 2024 5:45 PM


There is no need to make the halal certification mandatory for all restaurants and food companies that don’t deal with pork or alcohol, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary Azman Abidin.

While he welcomed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na’im Mokhtar’s proposal, the former restaurateur said the process of obtaining the certification is far from simple.

“It is expensive and there are stringent requirements.

“This is why many restaurant operators and companies, including those owned by Malays, are not interested in getting the certificate despite selling halal food,” he told Malaysiakini.

Azman also urged all quarters to stop making statements regarding the issue to gain political mileage.

“I see that some are attempting to politicise the issue by linking it to race and religion. In actual fact, the minister made a proposal and the Seputeh MP (Teresa Kok) provided her views,” he added.


Stop politicising

Azman also pointed out that there is a difference between halal certification and serving halal food.

“For example, 100 percent of the Malay restaurants in Malaysia serve halal food. But more than 90 percent of them don’t have halal certification.

“As a former restaurateur, I have a better understanding of this. So I am asking the opposition and all politicians to stop making this into a political issue,” he added.

Kok, who is also the DAP vice-chairperson, had courted flak from the opposition and Umno Youth leader Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.

Following a slew of police reports lodged against her, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain confirmed that the Seputeh MP would be investigated under the Penal Code and Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Kok has clarified that suggesting a review is not tantamount to disrespecting Islam and maintained that no crime has been committed.

The police would be recording her statement tomorrow.

Yesterday, Anwar said Kok’s remarks do not reflect Pakatan Harapan’s stand on the matter.