Strengthening management of halal meat imports
Three new methods will be introduced to safeguard the integrity of the management system for the import of halal meat products into the nation.
Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and several related agencies would implement these mechanisms in response to the imported meat cartel episode in December 2020.
The incident served as a reminder to many quarters regarding the importance of having a sound management system for the halal product supply chain in the country.
The announcement was when he launched the 2021 National Halal Conference virtually on Nov 23. Ismail Sabri noted one new criterion was for animal-based products held in warehouses to have the Malaysian Halal Certification (SPHM) under the scheme for the warehousing logistics category.
“Imported animal-based products need to use the services of an SPHM-certified transport chain under the scheme for transport logistics category,” he added.
Additionally, repackaging companies must undergo a mandatory procedure to obtain Malaysian halal certification under the scheme.
Ismail Sabri said JAKIM was developing an RM3.4 million Halal Integrated
Information System to serve as a database for halal products to strengthen Malaysian halal certification.
The database will have six systems, namely the MYeHALAL (domestic), MYeHALAL (international), e-Cert Print System, Malaysia International Halal Authority Board (MyIHAB), Module on Application of Foreign Slaughterhouses and Module on Malaysian Halal Product Ingredients Management (MyHALAL Ingredients).
He said that under MyIHAB, JAKIM could regulate 84 foreign halal certification bodies from 46 countries recognised by JAKIM.
“Insya-Allah, through this planning, it is expected that beginning 2023, the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) can use this system to check the status of halal products from foreign countries,” he said.
Ismail Sabri, who also launched the Malaysia Halal Certification Procedure Manual (Domestic) 2020 and Malaysia Halal Management System 2020, said JAKIM is also developing the Malaysian Halal Certification Procedure Manual (International) and International Halal Executive Module.
The government will also prioritise efforts to encourage Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the halal industry through guidance programmes combining multiple related ministries.
He said JAKIM’s efforts to improve Malaysia’s halal certification had been recognised by the Department of Standards Malaysia with the award of ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation on Oct 10, 2020, making JAKIM the country’s first halal certification organisation to be recognised on a worldwide scale.
“This accreditation has given an impact not only to various products which have been certified but also contributed to better management in the implementation of halal certification,” he said.
Based on the Economic Planning Unit reports in the Prime Minister’s Department, the halal market is projected to contribute 8.1 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by generating exports of RM56 billion by 2025.
