More hotels, food premises applying for halal certificate -- JAKIM

The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) recorded an increase of 39 per cent in application for halal certificate for hotel and food premises this year, its director-general, Datuk Othman Mustapha said today.

He said this brought to 516 the number of halal certificate holders under that category this year, compared with 361 last year.

"However, from the total 516 involved, there are companies whose validity of the certificate have expired and are in the process of renewing, leaving only 375 with the valid halal certificate," he told Bernama.

He said the increase in premises issued with the halal certificate reflected the awareness from food and hotel operators on the need to ensure the food served, especially to Muslims, met the necessary requirements.

Othman said the arrival of Ramadan also gave the food and hotel operators a reason to obtain the halal certificate as only those issued with the certificate could promote their Ramadan buffet.

He said that out of 375 hotels which were issued the halal certificate, about one percent of them had the certificate withdrawn.

"Normally, it is because of their failure to abide by the requirement of having two Muslim workers at their kitchens and for using ingredients which were not declared when they applied for the certificate," he added.

He said the certificate would also be withdrawn, among others, when it was found that the hotel and food operators changed their suppliers after the certificate had been issued.

In a related development, Othman said 48 slaughter houses had been issued the halal certificate as of July this year.