A study of the laws regulating halal certification marks and logo in Malaysia

Abstract

Today, halal is one of the discussed matters around the world. The demands for halal food are increasing simultaneously with the increasing numbers of Muslims throughout the years. Malaysia, with few other countries, has decisively taken this issue and is working very hard to develop several trustworthy halal industries. Though the halal journey started in Malaysia from the 1970s, a statement in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia 1957 perceived an obligation on concerned authorities to prepare halal food for Muslim consumers. This gradual development of amending its laws, enacting new regulations and orders, adopting halal standards and halal certification system is occurring in Malaysia. However, irrespective of all the initiatives, effectiveness of the halal certification is dependent on a comprehensive and sound organizational structure and system. Presently, an issue relating to halal certification has become an important part of the halal business. Malaysia is one of the pivotal and uprising stakeholders within the world’s halal market. For that reason, effective monitoring and execution can enhance the halal certification procedure and can reduce the cases of misusing the halal logo and halal certificate. A sound framework is necessary to enhance the halal industry. However, the existing framework is still at a developing stage. Without the collective efforts to improve the prudential framework, it would be challenging to gain the confidence of Muslim consumers and promote stability, solidity and future expansion of the Malaysian halal industry to the rest of the world. Comprehensive halal awareness programmes, steady regulatory structures and reliability of certifying processes can also enhance the country`s economy as well as recognition and the credibility in the global halal network. This study examines how important the halal certification is to ensure halal food in Malaysia as well as an improvement towards the halal industry and to what extent halal certified foods are guaranteed to as the rights of Malaysian Muslim consumers in complying with the Sharia`h principles.