200 food premises in hotels, restaurants already hold halal certificates

KUANTAN - The Pahang Islamic Religious Department (Jaip) has approved 200 applications for the Malaysian halal certification from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), involving food premises at hotels and restaurants in the state.

Jaip deputy director Datuk Abdul Zaki Md Zain said out of this total, 150 approvals were granted to restaurants while the remaining were for hotels.

He said Jaip's halal management division recorded the data as of September this year.

"Based on our records, all restaurants operating at the rest and recreation (R&R) stops already have halal certificates.

"In the hospitality sector, there are 20 hotels in Kuantan with halal certificates, nine in Bentong, eight in Cameron Highlands, five in Rompin, three in Temerloh, two each in Lipis and Jerantut and one hotel in Pekan have also obtained halal certificates," he said in an interview at Masjid Negeri Sultan Ahmad 1, here on Wednesday.

Zaki said they were targeting 250 halal certificate approvals for all food business operators throughout Pahang next year adding that the Halal management division was also providing briefings regarding the halal certification.

"We are promoting halal certification to hoteliers, restaurant owners and food vendors.

"We will support food operators, provide enlightenment, training or assistance in the application process, so that operators can obtain halal certificates in Pahang.

"In fact, earlier this month, we have already prepared a guide for food operators, emphasising that halal is an essential element for Muslims," he said.

Zaki said the process of preparing raw materials and ingredients used in food preparation must be halal and tayyib (pure) as a condition for obtaining the Jakim halal certification.

He said operators also needed to ensure that the ingredients used, such as halal meat, met the requirements for slaughter and not using mixed ingredients from non-halal sources.

"Therefore, for operators who have obtained the MeSTI (Makanan Selamat Tanggungjawab Industri) certification, obtaining halal certification will be very easy for them," he said.

Responding to the target of food operators obtaining halal status next year, Zaki said the department was making efforts to assist entrepreneurs from government agencies in obtaining halal certification for their food products.