JAKIM never issued 'halal beer' certification - Jamil Khir

Minister in the Prime Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom stressed that to date, no halal certificates had been issued by the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) for ''halal beer'' or any product using a name similar or associated with any prohibited drink.

According to him, the use of the name, ''halal beer'', was contrary to the Malaysian Halal Certification Procedure Manual (MPPHM) and the Malaysian Standard (MS1500: 2009), which formed the basis for Jakim and the State Islamic Religious Departments (JAIN) in the management of halal certification.

"In the manual, it is clearly stated that products using names or with non-halal products or misleading terms such as ham, bak teh, bacon, beer and the likes are not eligible to apply for halal certification in Malaysia.

"Halal food and halal artificial shall also not use names which are synonymous with any word referring to non-halal food such as ham, bak teh, bacon, beer and so on," he said in reply to Senator Khairiah Mohamed, who asked the government to declare the list of ''halal beer'' approved in the market as well as the conditions set for the sale of such beer.

The First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the Dewan Negara began today and will end on April 27.

Jamil Khir said that some of these drinks carried halal certificates from private companies or foreign halal certification bodies, and there were among them that did not carry any halal logo on their products.

"It should be stressed here that JAIN are the authority for halal certification in Malaysia. Each application must comply with MPPHM or the fatwa (religious decree), and decisions and regulations adopted in halal certification in the country.

"Therefore, Jakim constantly monitors the situation to ensure that drink manufacturers are not abusing the Malaysian halal logo on their products," he said.

In protecting the interest of consumers, Jamil Khir said the legal action taken under the Trade Description (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011 provided for a fine of up to RM200000 for the manufacturers, if such products available in the market had been using the Malaysian halal logo.

-- BERNAMA