By Ida Lim, themalaymailonline.com
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — There is no need to introduce a new halal
logo for Muslim-made products, as announced by the Rubber Industry
Smallholders Development Corporation (Risda) chairman Datuk Zahidi
Zainul Abidin recently, but the origins of a halal product from either a
Muslim or non-Muslim company must still be distinguished, Perkasa said
today.
Perkasa’s Islamic affairs bureau chairman Dr Amini Amir Abdullah said
the key thing was for locally-made products granted the halal status to
comply with the requirements of Islamic law and as certified by the
Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).
“I don’t think we need another logo because Jakim’s logo is already recognised locally and internationally,” he told
Malay Mail Online
when contacted today, adding that Jakim’s halal requirements should be
enhanced with loopholes removed and with improved enforcement.
In a statement earlier today, Amini Amir had said that Perkasa feels that “the time has come for us to
differentiate
all halal products whether they have been produced by Muslims or
non-Muslims” complying with Jakim’s halal certification standards,
noting the need to do so amid non-Muslims’ alleged rush to obtain the
halal logo from Jakim.
Amini Amir, however, told
Malay Mail Online that
distinguishing Muslim-made and non-Muslim made products is not meant to
be discriminatory, but would offer Muslim consumers — especially those
conscious of products with halal status from non-Muslim companies —
freedom of choice.
“It is not a discrimination. It is for the sake of Muslims who are
strictly following Islamic teaching,” he said, citing as an example how
some Muslims would be concerned when buying from a non-Muslim company
that manufactured both alcoholic drinks forbidden to Muslims and halal
drinks.
With the same requirements by Jakim for halal certification
applicable to Muslim and non-Muslim companies, there would also be no
discrimination in the process of obtaining a halal logo, he said.
While insisting that the same halal logo by Jakim be used for all
halal products, he disagreed with the use of phrases such as “Muslim
company” and “non-Muslim company” on the packaging to show the products’
origins.
When pressed on how consumers would be able to tell if a halal
product was Muslim-made without overt displays on the packaging such as
through a different logo or origin details, Amini Amir did not specify
any plausible method but instead said Jakim should play its role in
seeking a solution by having discussions with Muslim and non-Muslim
manufacturers.
Even if current laws were amended to allow a new halal logo to be
introduced for Muslim-made products, Amini Amir believed that there
would not be unfair competition between Muslim companies and non-Muslim
companies as consumers nowadays would buy based on the products’
quality.
He conceded that non-Muslim companies may be at a disadvantage when
it comes to food, drinks and cosmetics, but also noted their alleged
monopoly in certain products in these areas and Muslim consumers’
acceptance of such goods.
He also believed that having an additional logo denoting Muslim-made
origin would not give a Muslim company an edge over another Muslim
company, as the Jakim-issued halal logo on both companies’ products
would be “sufficient” for Muslim consumers.
Last Saturday, the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development
Corporation (Risda) chairman Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin reportedly said a
new halal logo would be issued by the Malaysia International Institute
of Islamic Cooperation (Ikiam) for Muslim-made halal products, noting
that this will aid Muslim entrepreneurs and clear misgivings over the
veracity of halal products.
He had reportedly said that too few Muslim entrepreneurs applied for
halal certification at only 28 per cent against 72 per cent non-Malay
entrepreneurs, while noting that only 11 per cent registered with the
government’s Halal Industry Development Corporation to export their
products are Muslim companies and the rest are non-Muslim companies.
Perkasa has urged Muslims to boycott Starbucks over its pro-LGBT stand. — Reuters picKUALA
LUMPUR, July 2 ― Malay rights group Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia has urged
Muslims nationwide to boycott Starbucks today over a four year-old quote
by its then chief executive supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) community.
