Memperkasa Integriti Standard Halal

Artikel yang telah disiarkan oleh Utusan Malaysia pada 18/06/2010

Oleh ZULKEFLI MOHAMAD

TIDAK semua pengguna Islam yakin penuh dengan logo halal walaupun ia dikeluarkan oleh pihak berkuasa, khususnya Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim).

Ia berlaku akibat rentetan beberapa peristiwa salah laku peniaga dan pengusaha khususnya bukan Islam yang secara terang-terangan mahupun secara samar menyalahgunakan kelulusan halal yang telah diberikan.

Selain itu, pengguna juga terdedah dengan amalan memalsukan logo halal serta memperoleh sijil halal dari badan-badan atau syarikat yang tidak diiktiraf kerajaan.

Walaupun terdapat peningkatan terhadap isu halal ini, namun peratusan pengguna Islam yang sedar mengenai hak mereka dalam memperoleh produk halal amat rendah kerana masih terdapat peniaga yang terus mengambil kesempatan di atas kealpaan golongan ini.

Tetapi apa juga tanggapan pengguna Islam terhadap isu halal, pihak kerajaan melalui Jakim telah berusaha untuk meningkatkan lagi integriti pensijilan halal dengan memperkasakan standard halal MS1500:2004 yang telah dikemaskini menjadi MS1500:2009 dengan input-input terkini sesuai dengan perkembangan terkini teknologi pengeluaran makanan.

Pensijilan halal kini tidak tertumpu kepada pensijilan sesuatu produk, malah ia sekarang lebih komprehensif kerana merangkumi sistem yang lengkap dalam pemprosesan produk halal tersebut.

Walaupun demikian, MS1500:2009 tidak menjamin produk makanan tersebut halal sehingga ke meja pengguna kerana setelah dikeluarkan dari kilang melalui beberapa proses logistik yang pastinya akan bercampur baur dengan berbagai-bagai produk lain termasuk produk yang haram baik dalam bentuk fizikal, kimia dan juga biologikal.

Dengan lain perkataan, produk makanan halal ini terdedah kepada kontaminasi bahan-bahan haram apabila melalui proses-proses asas logistik iaitu pengangkutan, penggudangan dan peruncitan.

Untuk menangani masalah ini, satu lagi garis panduan telah dikeluarkan oleh Standards Malaysia yang menyentuh secara menyeluruh dalam memelihara integriti makanan halal apabila melalui proses logistik itu.

Dengan kerjasama daripada pelbagai pihak termasuk NGO, badan-badan berkanun dan syarikat-syarikat berkaitan kerajaan, sebuah jawatankuasa pemandu dan teknikal telah ditubuhkan dan dalam masa kurang setahun, sebanyak tiga siri standard logistik telah dihasilkan.

Set standard logistik halal ini telah diberikan kod MS2400:2010 oleh pihak SIRIM Bhd. dan ia adalah:-

n Halalan-Toyyiban Assurance Pipeline - Part 1: Management System Requirements for Transportation of Goods and/or Cargo Chain Services (Terusan Jaminan Halalan Toyyiban Bahagian 1: Keperluan Pengurusan Sistem untuk Pengangkutan Barangan dan/atau Perkhidmatan Rantaian Kargo)

n Halalan-Toyyiban Assurance Pipeline - Part 2: Management System Requirements for Warehousing and Related Activities (Terusan Jaminan Halalan Toyyiban Bahagian 2: Keperluan Pengurusan Sistem untuk Penggudangan dan Aktiviti yang berkaitan)

n Halalan-Toyyiban Assurance Pipeline - Part 3: Management System Requirements for Retailing (Terusan Jaminan Halalan Toyyiban Bahagian 3: Keperluan Pengurusan Sistem untuk Peruncitan)

Standard itu dibahagikan kepada tiga bahagian kerana setiap sektor melibatkan pemain logistik yang berbeza dan ia dilengkapi dengan ciri-ciri standard yang diiktiraf di peringkat antarabangsa.

Satu forum konsultatif standard ini telah diadakan pada 11 Februari 2010 lalu untuk menerima maklum balas daripada pihak industri dan para pengamal standard halal. Banyak perkara telah dibangkitkan dan dibawa semula untuk dibincangkan di peringkat jawatankuasa pemandu.

Setelah semua aspek dan kelemahannya diperbaiki, ia telah dibawa ke mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Industri Standard mengenai Halal dan telah diluluskan. Kini ia dalam proses untuk kelulusan menteri dan digazetkan.

Sistem MS2400:2010 ini adalah salah satu program Halalan Toyiban yang dipelopori oleh Yayasan Ekonomi Sejagat yang memperoleh banyak input pengguna, khususnya dari Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia dan input daripada pihak penyedia perkhidmatan logistik iaitu Cold Chain Network, CCN, serta diselia oleh SIRIM QAS Sdn. Bhd.

Pelbagai input juga diperoleh daripada pihak seperti Jakim, Halal Industry Development Corporation dan pakar-pakar perunding serta pengamal standard.

MS2400:2010 ini akan diperkenalkan kepada umum dalam pameran pada MIHAS 23 Jun ini dengan disaksikan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak di gerai Yayasan Ekonomi Sejagat.

Adalah dijangkakan, program ini telah menarik minat pakar perunding dari Jerman iaitu TUV Rheinland yang mempunyai pejabat cawangannya di 160 buah negara. Standard ini juga dijangka akan menarik minat kebanyakan pemain industri di bidang perkhidmatan logistik dari dalam dan luar negara.

Tetapi apa yang lebih utama adalah peningkatan tahap keyakinan pengguna terhadap produk-produk halal sesuai dengan hasrat kerajaan melalui konsep dari ladang ke meja makan.

Penulis ialah ahli Jawatankuasa Industri Standard Halal, Standards Malaysia.

Artikel Penuh: http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0618&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Rencana&pg=re_05.htm#ixzz40ZtYRlbg 
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'No Pork' But I Never Mentioned No Frog!

The infamous 'No Pork' issue crops up again. It seems that this two-decade old issue catches even right to the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's attention.
For all it's intent and purposes, the No Pork message is simply to lure Muslim consumers, who are taught since they begin to reason, that BABI is an animal to be avoided as it is mentioned in the Quran not to be consumed and that the stigma remains as a filthy animal that creates a sense of "GELI".

In a very subtle manner though No Pork is just wanting to give a message that the food served is "halal" and safe for Muslim consumption.
Muslims on the other hand, after getting the message from their peers that the food served at any particular No Pork outlet is "SEDAP GILER", gets lured and easily becomes a regular patron.

What if, after sometime, someone detected that the food outlet didn't use pork but frog or non-slaughtered animal instead or did not prepare there menu in contradiction to the Halal requirements?
Can the Muslims who used to have their meals there press charges on the owner of the restaurant? On what charge? Using the Trade Description Act 2011? Misrepresentation?
Well, can we charge summon them to court finally? The owner's slimy lawyers will easily squash the case by simply argued that the No Pork sign doesn't necessary for the Muslims but for all consumers. If they do serve or use frog as an ingredient or excepient they are off the hook by telling the court yes they don't serve pork but not necessarily frog.

And what the authorities can do with these unscrupulous operators is just to remind again and again the Muslim consumers not to patronize these outlet. How long can they do it while the irresponsible food owners will walk free and get to maintain their No Pork signage?

MUSLIMS AND THE HALAL STANDARD

28 February 2005 · by The Halal Journal Team · in Food & Beverage, Regulation. ·

When dealing with the blossoming Halal industry, is being Muslim sufficient to make a product Halal? Not if you want to be a serious player. The Muslim Consumer Association of Malaysia gives its views.

The Halal issue has been getting a wide coverage in the Malaysian Media lately, much to the chagrin of Muslim consumers: the non-conformity of Halal regulations by so-called Halal products in the market. The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia has uncovered these violations of rights, which could retard the government’s effort to evolve our country into a leading manufacturer of Halal products. What could be the world’s perception of Malaysia – lauded as one of the prominent Halal certification authorities in the world – should these unjust violations be allowed to continue? This is undeniably an act of economic sabotage.

The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) has played a gargantuan role in its Halal certification efforts. Various efforts have been pioneered by this agency since 1971, and to date, several non-governmental agencies, as well as private sectors, have increased their involvement to support the government’s efforts in line with the current challenges in the Halal industry.

Recently, Malaysia, through its agencies such as JAKIM, Department of Standards Malaysia, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia and Malaysian Institute of Industrial Research and Standards (SIRIM), have developed a comprehensive Halal food standard called the MS1500:2004. Based on previous standard developed by SIRIM (MS1500:2000), with some latest inputs from JAKIM and Research Institute of Standards in Islam, it has effectively promulgated Malaysia as the world’s first to issue standards for the manufacturing, preparation, managing and storage of Halal foods.

The MS1500:2004 standard, covers the guidelines of Food Safety Principle (MS1514), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP-MS1480) as well as guidelines for good cleaning practice for small and medium food industries towards a HACCP by the Ministry of Health Malaysia.

After a complicated and arduous process, the standard was finally launched by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on August 16th, 2004. This new standard can be applied by all food manufacturers in Malaysia.

Nevertheless, a question remains: how do Muslim manufacturers in Malaysia feel about this standard? Facts show that most do not bother applying for any Halal standard or certification, as they are content with the perception that food produced by Muslims is automatically Halal. This particular scenario is portrayed in the JAKIM’s Halal guidebook and also in a publication by KasehDia, a local communication arts company, on Halal food and beverage outlets. It is concluded that more than 90 per cent of the companies listed in the publications are either multi-nationals or non-Muslim owned. In other words, many Muslim companies have yet to apply for their Halal certification.

The misconstrued perception of ‘food produced by Muslims is unquestionably Halal’ has led to some non-Muslim manufacturers taking advantage of the situation by abandoning the Halal certification process and instead, using Malay or Arab product names to attract Muslim consumers. Many have eventually succeeded. Even several multi-national companies are currently using this malicious method.

Are Muslim companies or Small and Medium Industries (SMI) willing to invest some capital to abide by the MS1500:2004 like they should?

In answering this pertinent question, these industry players will have to face the following issues: Firstly, they need to understand the rationale behind the certification – why are they going Halal? Secondly, current non-Muslim customers will continue to buy their products, even if they are non-Halal – is it worth it to go Halal? Finally, Muslim consumers still take the issue lightly as long as they assume the manufacturer is Malay or Muslim – so, is there really a valid reason for them to go for a Halal certification?

Is there any merit in adopting new policies to address this issue? Or should the market be left to depend on the increase of population, particularly the Muslim’s?

Therefore, the established perception on Halal food should be altered because Halal does not only cover the rituals of Muslim norm such as animal slaughtering, but it also encircles all aspects of cleanliness, safety, preparation, storage and purification. Other features, aside from those, which have been translated to form the MS1500:2004 standard, are called tayyibah (wholesome aspects). If Muslim manufacturers remain stationary in their traditional tide, they will be slowly engulfed by the globalisation wave. Quality aspects are essential in the open market. Muslim manufacturers must take advantage of the reputation and credibility of the Malaysian Halal logo, which has received a worldwide acknowledgement and recognition.

Consider the following figures: Malaysian Muslims will spend RM5 billion a year on Halal food if their expense per capita is RM1 daily. More than 60 per cent of these Malaysians will go for competitively-priced high quality Halal food. However, only a few Muslim SMIs fulfil these criteria.

In the international scene, the worldwide demand for Halal food is expected to increase to RM2 trillion in the year 2005, and this enormous potential must be seized by Muslim manufacturers to enhance the confidence of food importers of other Islamic countries. This is an advantage should these manufacturers comply and adhere to the MS1500:2004 standard.

According to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), readymade food manufacturers from Malaysia have penetrated into 80 countries worldwide. Muslim manufacturers and businessmen are able to construct and strengthen trade relations through the Islamic Chamber of Commerce as well as Trade Chambers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference countries.

The government has also taken measures to ensure that the Halal standards will only be issued in Malaysia. This will expand opportunities for Malaysian manufacturers to partake bilateral efforts to increase the value of products to be exported to third world countries. Every product that requires a Halal certification will view Malaysia as a comprehensive increment of value as well as certification centre. This strategy is also hoped to generate income for the country from foreign currency exchange.

Muslim manufacturers must grasp the paradigm shift and seize the opportunity in the course of the incentives made through the 2005 Budget recently declared. This includes two times deduction for the cost involved to furnish for the standards of the Halal certification; and for granting of 100 per cent tax investment allowance for five years for companies investing in the purchase of new and sophisticated machinery and equipment for the production of Halal food.

Who else would know more about the needs of Halal and wholesome food besides the Muslims themselves?

**This article was first published in The Halal Journal Jan/Feb 2005 edition, and was written by Zulkefli Mohamad (Information Secretary, Muslim Consumer Association of Malaysia).