Eateries without Halal certs urged not to mislead Muslim consumers

KLANG, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- The Selangor branch of Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) advised food premises that did not have the Malaysian Halal Verification Certificate (SPHM) not to mislead and confuse consumers especially the Muslims.

Its chief enforcement officer Azman Adam said it would be an offence for a premise owned by non-Muslim that did not have the SPHM certificate to display the Quranic verses.

“This is because by displaying the Quranic verses in their premises, it can confuse the Muslims who will assume that the premises did obtain SPHM.

“Selangor KPDNHEP takes this halal issue seriously because in last year alone we have received 22 complaints regarding this halal status,” he told reporters after carrying out checks against several food premises here today.

The three-hour inspection was also attended by officials from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department, Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) and the Klang Municipal Council.

Azman said food premises were not obliged to obtain the SPHM certificate to operate, but it would be an offence for those without it to promote their outlets as halal.

Meanwhile in KOTA BHARU, non-Muslim traders have been advised against using Islamic elements as their business strategies to attract Muslim consumers.

Kelantan Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) president Datuk Seri Dr Fared Abdul Ghani said the "strategy" was dishonest effort to attract the majority of consumers in the country.

“This action will mislead Muslim consumers to patronise their premises,” he said.

He also urged KPDNHEP to take more firm action against traders who deliberately displayed Jawi scripts or Quranic verses at their business premises to deceive the Muslims.

-- BERNAMA