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PETALING JAYA: There’s nothing stopping halal-certified stores from decorating cakes with a “Merry Christmas” greeting, says Malaysia’s Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
However, these cakes cannot be displayed in halal certified stores.
In a statement issued on Christmas Day, Jakim Deputy Managing Director (Operations) Datuk Abdul Aziz Jusoh said festival greetings were allowed on all products if they were not displayed in stores that have Jakim halal certification.
“Festival greetings are allowed on products that have been certified halal with the logo.
“There is no provision (in halal certification) that refers to the holding of festivals, including Islamic festivals, in the Malaysia (National) 2020 Halal Certification Procedures Manual.
“The Malaysian Halal Management System and Manual only apply to applicants and holders of the Malaysian Halal Certificate,” said Abdul Aziz.
I was commenting on a recent report on another site that said a customer was surprised to receive a “Happy Holidays” cake when they had requested that it be decorated with the “Merry Christmas” wish.
The report said that the store had refused to do so because it was in the process of obtaining a halal certificate, quoting Jakim as stating that the halal logo issued by the Halal Management System cannot be used to promote other religions.
On Thursday (December 24), Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) minister Datuk Dr. Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri tweeted that as long as the cake was not for display, it was fine.
“Simply put, if Store B with a Halal Jakim certificate bakes a cake with a religious celebration wish to display, then it is not allowed, but if Store B prepared the cake that A ordered that has a religious celebration wish, it’s allowed, ”he tweeted.
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