06
Foreign News
@ Halal | January-February . 2021
Indonesia to issue fatwa
There are concerns about halal status of Covid-19 vaccine
The authorities in Indonesia have finished a study on a possible Covid-19 vaccine ’ s halal status , The Jakarta Post reported .
Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said on Dec 7 , 2020 that the Indonesian Ulema ( MUI ) had finished its study on the Sinovac vaccine based on the halal requirement and would issue a fatwa soon , antaranews . com reported .
The study was done by the Indonesian Ulema Council Assessment Institute for Foods , Drugs and Cosmetics and the Halal Certification Agency .
Muhadjir , a leading figure in the country ’ s second-largest Islamic organisation Muhammadiyah , called the global Covid-19 pandemic a life-threatening health crisis .
Therefore , drugs or vaccines without halal certifications can be used to avoid deaths
|
when halal vaccines or medicines have yet to be found .
Muhadjir explained that according to Islamic regulation , Covid-19 vaccines fall into the emergency category , meaning that all non-halal vaccines can be used in a crisis as it aimed to manage an emergency situation .
The halal status of potential Covid-19 vaccines had been a significant concern for many .
Vice-President and senior Muslim cleric Ma ’ ruf Amin offered a similar statement in October , saying that the vaccine being prepared by the government did not have to be halal .
Vice-presidential spokesman Masduki Baidowi said Ma ’ ruf ’ s statement came during a meeting with Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan .
The meeting discussed the vaccine ’ s progress being developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac in partnership
|
with state-owned pharmaceutical firm PT Bio Farma .
“ The Vice-President explained an important thing : If the vaccine is halal , then that ’ s good , there ’ s no problem . But if it is not halal , that ’ s also not a problem ,” Masduki said in a statement on Oct 2 .
“ Because this is an emergency situation , it ’ s okay to use ( a non-halal vaccine ).”
In October , Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto , who also helms the national economic recovery and Covid-19 response team , ensured that the Covid-19 vaccine would have halal certification .
Airlangga explained that the government had consulted the MUI to ensure the vaccine would receive a halal certification .
In response to the issue , the government has cooperated with various Islamic organisations to support the upcoming nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme amid uncertainty over the vaccine ’ s halal status .
|
The Indonesian Ulema finished its study on the Sinovac vaccine based on the halal requirement . |
Taiwan , Brunei sign MOU to promote halal economy
Taiwan and Brunei recently signed a memorandum of understanding ( MOU ) to promote the halal economy between them .
The document , titled the MOU on Syariah Compliance Products Development and Trade , was signed by Pengiran Haris Duraman , chairman of the Brunei Darussalam BIMP-EAGA Business Council ( BD BEBC ), and witnessed by Taiwan ’ s representative to Brunei , Andrew Lee .
The BIMP-EAGA refers to the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia- Philippines East asean Growth Area , which covers 80 million people . It was launched in 1994 in Davao City in the Philippines to promote sub-regional economic cooperation .
Lee told CNA that the MOU resulted from 10 months of discussion initiated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brunei and the BD BEBC .
“ It will serve as a catalyst and platform for connectivity and cooperation , and to explore opportunities in creating a new supply chain linking Taiwan and Brunei and the global Muslim markets ,” Lee said .
According to Lee , the MOU aims to foster cooperation in the halal industry , reduce technical trade barriers , and facilitate bilateral relations between Taiwan and Brunei , particularly concerning halal export development and promotion programs .
It also focuses on the halal economy ’ s investment opportunities and possible joint ventures in the halal value chain between Taiwan and Brunei , he added .
According to Lee , Brunei is wellpositioned to bridge the gap between Europe , the Middle East , South America and Taiwan in the halal industry , a global economic driver encompassing a 1.9 billion Muslim population .
Various Taiwanese halal-certified foods were displayed outside the MOU-signing venue as part of the representative office ’ s effort to showcase Taiwan ’ s efforts to venture into the global halal food market , he said .
Halal certification agency in Korea helps SMEs expand to Indonesia
As Indonesia ’ s official halal certification agency , the BPJPH says SMEs here make Korea an attractive destination to better promote its role after the agency ’ s launch last year .
Operating under Indonesia ’ s Ministry of Religious Affairs , BPJPH is an Indonesian acronym for Halal Product Assurance Agency .
It was founded per Presidential Decree No . 33 that went into force on Oct 17 , 2019 .
The agency took over the job previously dealt with by nongovernmental agency MUI .
“ BPJPH was so enthusiastic about better addressing its job and helping Korean SMEs expand their foothold in Indonesia , so its head did not hesitate to come to Korea despite the pandemic ,” a public relations manager for BPJPH told The Korea Times this week .
The manager referred to BPJPH head Sukoso ’ s visit to Korea in November 2020 to lecture on Indonesia ’ s new policies on halal certification and relevant laws .
The lecture at The K-Hotel Seoul in southern Seoul , Nov 13 , was attended by more than 200 businesspeople from 24 SMEs .
Many of them were from the food industry . In contrast , others were curious about the meals and other services they would need to offer to employees if they open factories in Indonesia .
Participants from the Indonesian side included BPJPH Ambassador Daniel Koo , Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Korea ’ s Committee Chairman Anggoro Budiman , Islamic Ummah Unity ’ s Head of Economic and Cooperation Division Head Dennie Istiawan , Mitra Ipemi Korea head Witdyah Ganti Riwayati , as well as Lee Kwang-yeon , the chairman of Pacific Group . This Jakarta-headquartered company issues halal certifications abroad on behalf of the BPJPH .
“ The lecture helped the audience reshape their understanding of halal or correct any misunderstandings about it ,” the PR manager said , adding , “ Attendees have learned how important it is to have halal certifications to run a business in Indonesia .”
Sukoso underlined that the BPJPH and Pacific Group “ work closely in issuing certificates with a safe and verified system .”
Lee expressed hope that more Korean companies would advance to Indonesia and help implement the New Southern Policy , President Moon Jae-in ’ s signature diplomatic initiative to enhance ties with the 10-member ASEAN .
Indonesia is asean ’ s most populous country , with over 264 million people .
With roughly 88 per cent or 225 million of its people being Muslim , Indonesia also accounts for 13 per cent of the worldwide Muslim population . It tops the list of countries with the largest Muslim populations .