Halal Legislation Enforcement of Food Premises in Malaysia

Abstract

Halal Certification provides an opportunity for food premise operators to prove that the food provided complies with the laws set in Malaysia. Although there are laws and regulations related to halal implementation, the misuse of halal logos such as halal logos forgery, misuse of Islamic images, and using expired certificates still arises within the industry. This study's goal is to shed light on Malaysia's legal guidelines for halal food premises and halal enforcement. This study applies a qualitative approach while the data is collected through content analysis. The content analysis has been carried out involving a few provisions of law and official documents related to halal enforcement of food premises. Those documents are the Malaysian Halal Certification Procedure Manual 2020, Trade Descriptions Act 2011, Food Act 1983, and Local Government Act 1976. The finding of this study shows that Halal enforcement in Malaysia is based on multiple provisions, regulation, and act as there is no halal-specific act governing halal certification matters. This has led to ineffective enforcement as JAKIM and JAIN have limited power to perform halal enforcement, especially towards the misused of the halal logo, deceiving or misleading Muslim consumers with Quranic verses and halal self-claim. As a result, halal issues have not been properly handled and solved. To have a deeper understanding of halal enforcement, it is advised that the future study examine other relevant aspects of Malaysian law and regulation governing halal topics. Additionally, the researcher may investigate the operators of food premises’ knowledge of halal enforcement, including their knowledge of raw materials, and their understanding of the penalties for breaking the law.