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PETALING JAYA: The meat cartel scandal that has raised suspicions about imported halal meat in the country is due to corruption and the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) should not be blamed, say halal industry players .
The scandal, which players said happens from time to time, involves corruption at various levels and authorities investigating the issue should look at everyone else in the import chain.
“Halal is not the problem on the meat cartel, as Jakim is not in charge of imported meat. The problem is corruption, ”said Datuk Shukri Abdullah, founder of the world’s largest halal trade show, the Malaysia International Halal Expo (Mihas).
He said imported meat goes through the port authorities, Customs and the Malaysian Department of Inspection and Quarantine Services (Maqis).
“These three are the main channels that the meat has to pass through before reaching the AP supports.
“Jakim can only come in and check the premises from time to time and every two years, all halal certificates must be renewed. This is a rigorous process, some taking up to six months.
“It is not right for Jakim to be forced to bear the brunt of the meat cartel as the halal logo was even faked,” he said in response to calls from Malaysian Advisory Council advisory board member Tun Hanif Omar to Jakim is renewed and renounces his duty in issuing the halal certification and the role will be taken over by the Malaysian Halal Council.
Shukri said that halal certification was big business in many countries and that in Malaysia, Jakim took it upon himself to run it and not for profit.
He said the cost of halal certification was cheap, less than 1,500 ringgit since the government subsidized it, something that many do not realize.
“By killing Jakim, many could turn halal certification into a great source of income if they get the contract. This was tried before.
“The contract to issue the halal certification was awarded to a private company and many were angry that it became too expensive and Jakim decided to withdraw it.
“A government agency, Halal Development Corporation, then took over the task and they too failed and came back to Jakim once again,” he said.
The Malaysian Halal Professional Board trainer Ahmad Aminurrasyid said that Jakim has no powers to investigate or prosecute those who participated in such unions, as his role was simply that of producer of the halal certificates.
“The halal beef import permit for cattle is issued by the Department of Veterinary Services and the meat enters Malaysia through Customs and Maqis.
“Business and commercial licenses for companies that handle imported halal meat are issued by municipalities and the Malaysian Business Commission.
“Counterfeiting and abuse of the halal logo is the responsibility of the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Affairs.
“So why is Jakim the one that needs to be revamped on this meat cartel?” asked Ahmad, who has been in the halal industry in various roles for more than a decade.
Meanwhile, several witnesses who are employees of the companies involved in the cartel, were summoned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to have their statements recorded.
MACC chief Datuk Seri Azam Baki said they wanted to interview several other witnesses, but they seem to have gotten off the radar.
“We cannot locate or contact them,” he told The Star yesterday, adding that with the cooperation of other agencies, MACC managed to get hold of the documents to check for elements of corruption.
Azam noted that MACC’s investigations into the case were to determine if there were elements of corruption involved in the meat import process.
“Let it be clear that we are not investigating or determining the halal status of the product.
“Our scope of investigation is to identify irregularities such as the presentation of false complaints, corruption and abuse of power, which allowed the goods to enter the country,” he said.
Azam said that MACC had sought the cooperation of other authorities, including the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Affairs, Customs and Maqis to investigate the matter.
Recently, authorities arrested a cartel that had been importing meat from Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina and China, and packaged it with the halal logo.
The cartel, believed to have been operating for a few years, allegedly used a warehouse in Senai, Johor, as a place to make fake labels and stamps to stick on packages of uncertified halal status meat.
Vice Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Rosol Wahid told Dewan Negara on Tuesday that tests carried out on frozen meat taken from the warehouse showed it was not pork, horse or kangaroo.
This was the result of tests conducted by the Chemistry Department on frozen meat samples taken from the warehouse, he said.
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