February 25, 2009 19:19 PM

Call For Halal Certification To Be Reverted To Jakim

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- Taib Azamudden Md Taib (PAS-Baling) has urged the government to let Jakim (Islamic Development Department) to be the sole authority to issue halal (permissible in Islam) certification.

He said a company should not undertake the task because as a business entity it would only be interested in profit making.

"People will have doubts over the halal certificates displayed at eateries and halal logos on products because a private company is involved in issuing the certification," he said when debating the motion of thanks for the Royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.

Issuing of the halal certification had been taken over from Jakim by the Halal Development Corporation (HDC).

He also urged the government to come down hard on restaurants owned by non-Muslims but displayed Quranic verses to attract Muslim customers, saying this was a very sensitive matter among Muslims.

-- BERNAMA

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