TAIWAN - HALAL - Taiwan promotes 'Muslim Friendly' certification of restaurants

www.focustaiwan.tw - Taipei, Feb. 24 (CNA) The Tourism Bureau has joined with the Taipei-based Chinese Muslim Association since the beginning of the year to promote the certification of restaurants in Taiwan as being friendly to Muslims.

The new measure was taken amid an increase of visitors from Muslim-dominant areas in China, Malaysia and Indonesia to Taiwan in recent years, said Lin Kun-yuan, head of the international affairs division of the bureau. (source)

MALAYSIA - HALAL - Malaysian SMEs urged to get halal certification

www.btimes.com.my - KUALA LUMPUR: Local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including Muslim entrepreneurs, are urged to get halal certification to seize lucrative opportunities in the global halal sector.


Muslim SMEs should discard the assumption that their customers would believe their products are halal by virtue of being muslims.

Founder-director of the World Halal Forum (WHF) Jumaatun Azmi said there is still a significant gap in the implementation of halal standards by the local SMEs. (source)

INDONESIA - HALAL - MUI Criticizes NU’s Plan to Draft Halal Certification

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) has criticized Nahdlatul Ulama’s (NU) plan to draft halal and honesty certifications for its members.

Lukmanul Hakim, MUI’s food, drug and cosmetics study agency’s (LPPOM MUI) director, said it was unnecessary for NU to issue its own certifications because the LPPOM’s halal certificate was transparent and practical. However, he said, the certificate arrangement was subject to fees because the office is not subsidized by the government.  (source)

MALAYSIA - HALAL - Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre kitchens (finally) certified halal

halalmedia.my - The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre have announced that all its kitchens – Chinese, Western, Cold, Pastry and Malay – have been certified halal by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM). 

The choice venue of at least three annual Halal events since 2007 – the World Halal Forum, the World Halal Research Summit and the International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) – the Centre confirms that every item, ingredient, manufacturer, supplier, process and procedure has been audited by JAKIM and certified halal.

Based on the Malaysian Standards (MS1500:2009), the Centre has complied with all stringent procedures and detailed analysis related to the halal process and that JAKIM has conducted a physical site inspection of the Centre’s storage area, cold room, process plant and handling aspects during production and packaging, general hygiene, quality control and assurance practices. (source)

BRUNEI - HALAL - Halal certification process too 'complicated', say restaurateurs

Halal Food Control Division says the extensive procedure is a necessary burden to ensure a restaurant is truly halal-certified

SEVERAL restaurateurs have criticised the "complicated" process to obtain halal certification, with the majority arguing that the requirement of listing and tracing back the halal origins of every ingredient used in their menu a deterrent to getting the mandatory certificate. (source)

INDONESIA - EVENTS - Ministry Ecomomics encourages use of halal food

Vivanews - Government support to improve the delivery of certification of halal products in the country. It aims to drive economic growth in Indonesia is better in the future.

According to Coordinating Minister for Economy, Hatta Rajasa, halal certified products now has its own market share in the world. Until now, 20 percent of the world's food products are halal. (source)

CAMBODJA - HALAL - Malaysia Is Third Largest Investor In Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, July 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has become the third largest investor in Cambodia with its investments in the country amounting to US$3.4 billion from 1980.

Malaysian Ambassador to Cambodia, Datuk Pengiran Mohd Hussein Datuk Pengiran Mohd Tahir Nasruddin said Malaysia'a third placing comes after China and Korea.

The investment opportunities for Malaysia are still plenty especially in the agriculture sector considering the availability of large areas of land which are yet to be developed in the country, he said. (source)

FOOD AND DRUGS - Malaysia: Single halal certificate beginning April

PUTRAJAYA: The single halal logo and certification will come into force by April next year, said Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the draft of the amendments to the Trade Description Act 1972 that would allow for a single Malaysian halal logo and certification was finalised at a meeting between the ministry and the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) yesterday.

VIDEO - HALAL - Halal Business & Food Expo 2010 Jakarta - Indonesia (2)

Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) akan Mengelar The First Indonesia Internasional halal Business and Food Expo 2010, Dengan menyertakan sekitar 80 Lembaga Halal Dunia, Di Jakarta Convention Centre, Akhir Juli nanti.

VIDEO - HALAL - kopi luwak - civet cat (5)

Indonesia's top religious body has declared a premium coffee made from civet cat droppings fit for Muslims to drink. The proclamation has brought relief to farmers who can now continue exporting Kopi Luwak, the world's most expensive coffee. Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen reports from Lampung, Indonesia.

VIDEO - HALAL - Meningitis Vaccins (3)

Majelis Ulama Indonesia mengumumkan fatwa tentang tiga vaksin meningitis yang di gunakan para jamaah haji dan umrah, Selasa siang.

HALAL - Pig problems in Halal community (meningitis vaccin)

The Indonesian Health Consumers Empowerments Foundation may file a class action lawsuit against the Health Ministry and the Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM). It has been claimed that there was a failure in informing the public about pig enzymes in a meningitis vaccine.

The Jakarta Post has reported that the possible lawsuit may take place due to a meningitis vaccine intended for Indonesian muslim pilgrims which contains pig enzymes.