Halal Certification in Malaysia: Should Muslim Businesses Get One?

The topic of halal certification has long been a hot debate among Malaysians. Recently, the news about popular restaurants not obtaining their halal certification has raised genuine concerns among Muslim consumers in Malaysia. This issue emphasizes the importance of halal certification in building trust and satisfaction within the Muslim community.

Halal certification ensures that food and products meet Islamic dietary laws, which is essential for Muslim consumers. When well-known restaurants fail to secure this certification, it can lead to a decline in consumer confidence. Therefore, obtaining halal certification is crucial for businesses to gain the trust of their customers.

Halal Certification is not mandatory but encouraged

There has been a lot of talk about making halal certification mandatory in Malaysia. Recently, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) presented a report that all food places that don’t serve pork or alcohol should have to get halal certification. This idea caused a lot of debate, with concerns from politicians and business owners about how it might affect small businesses and add extra work for them.

After discussions, the Cabinet decided to keep the current policy of voluntary halal certification. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that getting halal certification is still optional for food businesses.

Without the mandatory rules, businesses are still encouraged to get certified to attract Muslim customers. This is to instill confidence in them to eat at the diner.

According to Bernama, JAKIM has launched the Malaysia Halal Certification Express Initiative to speed up the halal certification process, aiming to complete it within 30 days. Ahmad Zahid mentioned that from January to July this year, 96% of applications using this initiative were processed on time. This quick service encourages businesses to apply for halal certification.

Benefits of Getting Halal Certification

Benefits for Businesses

Businesses with halal certification will gain a significant benefit. The halal market is experiencing rapid growth. According to Maximize Market Research (MMR), from this year until 2030, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) will increase approximately 10.5%. This means halal-certified businesses will have access to a lot of potential customers who prefer halal options.

With halal certification, they will naturally become more stand out to Muslim consumers, among other non-halal certified businesses. This will also boost credibility and trust, as halal-certified businesses ensure that their foods and products consistently meet high-quality standards. Consumers will also recognize the credible effort these businesses put into obtaining halal certifications, which contributes to their positive image.

Benefits for Consumers

Consumers, especially the Muslims, will be more likely to choose halal-certified business to dine in. This confidence comes from the halal logo itself, which reassures consumers and makes them less worried about how the food was prepared and sourced before it became their meal.

However, this certification also attracts non-Muslims who prioritize transparency of ingredients and the quality and hygiene of their food. The moment they see the halal logo, it puts in their minds that the business is serious about maintaining high standards of quality and safety

Conclusions

Since Halal certification is not mandatory, Muslims must be mindful of their food choices and accountable for what they consume. For businesses, obtaining halal certification can provide them significant advantages. Halal certification not only ensures that products meet Islamic dietary laws, but it also helps businesses attract a growing market of Muslim consumers.