Page 38 - Newsfeed October 2024

时事回应 CURRENTAFFAIRS

halal certification. This issue also extended to Member of Parliament for
Seputeh YB Puan Teresa Kok Suh Sim, who issued a statement on 6 September
2024, to be summoned to provide a statement regarding the halal certification
issue on 10 September 2024 at Bukit Aman’s Classified Crime Investigation Unit
(USJT) after police reports were filed against her.

While halal certification falls under JAKIM’s jurisdiction in Islamic religious
affairs. It pertains to the scope of Islamic principles, hygiene standards, and food
safety. However, forcing this certification involving the religious principles on
restaurants and food companies owned by management of other religions and
beliefs not only violates the religious freedom guaranteed under Article 11 of
the Malaysian Federal Constitution but is also unfair to groups not bound by
Islamic teachings. Restaurants and food companies should have the rights and
freedom to decide which local or international hygiene and food safety
standards they wish to follow. The decision to apply for halal certification should
be left to the market strategies of these establishments rather than imposed
through mandatory intervention by any agency.

Although this proposal has not been brought to the Cabinet for discussion,
YBAM hopes that the government and relevant agencies will take into
consideration Malaysia's multicultural context and the religious freedom
protected by the Malaysian Federal Constitution when proposing matters
involving religious principles in the future. This would help avoid any responses
towards similar matters from being escalated to religious controversies or
interpreted as 3R issues, leading to social trials or initiation of punitive actions.
YBAM also hopes that the freedom of speech for individuals or organisations
that voice concerns regarding public welfare and rights will be respected.

11 September 2024

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