[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Islamic Development Department (Jakim) is not conducting investigations into the meat cartel, says the director of the investigation division, Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee.
In a Facebook live feed titled “Halal Certification SOP: What Went Wrong?”, He noted that other government agencies were investigating the matter and asked the public to await their findings.
“The issue is now under the scrutiny of various government agencies and although Jakim is involved in the halal certification process, we do not have the authority to expose the names of the brands involved or comment on the issue,” he said.
The Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Affairs and other agencies recently arrested a cartel that had smuggled frozen horse and kangaroo meat before passing it off as beef by repackaging it with the halal logo.
The meat was sold in supermarkets in Malaysia.
Authorities had seized RM30,000 worth of stolen meat from a warehouse in Senai, Johor.
The cartel is believed to have been operating for several years.
Sirajuddin, who was previously a director of the Jakim Halal Hub, revealed that 300 agencies were involved in the process of acquiring and verifying halal certification.
“Jakim’s main role is to ensure that slaughterhouses abroad meet the criteria that we had prepared in accordance with protocols and procedures, namely the Malaysian Halal Meat Protocol and various others.
“From there, other authorities will be involved such as the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (Maqis) and the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS),” he said.
Sirajuddin noted that the halal certification of meat from slaughterhouses abroad is not governed by Jakim but by local religious authorities in the exporting country.
“We do not produce halal certification for them. Our role is limited to ensuring that they follow the correct form of slaughter and protocols, ”he said.
Despite local skepticism, Sirajuddin said Malaysia’s halal industry has attracted the attention of other countries, including non-Muslim nations like China.
“The Chinese government is interested in the halal industry and the certification we provide. The reason is our priority in hygiene throughout the process, ”he said.
[ad_2]
