Halal integrity under fire

• The fake halal meat scandal in Malaysia exposed severe weaknesses in the halal supply chain, involving decades-long fraud and corruption across multiple government agencies.

• JAKIM responded to the crisis by enhancing international auditing procedures and reinforcing collaborations with enforcement bodies to uphold the integrity of halal certification.

• Legal and enforcement frameworks in Malaysia require urgent reform, particularly in addressing corporate liability and adopting traceability technologies to prevent future halal-related crimes.

BY FARISHA RAHMAN

IN a bustling wet market on a typical morning in Kuala Lumpur, shoppers carefully inspect cuts of meat, confident in the halal logos they trust. Behind that assurance lies a deep-seated anxiety: What if the label is fake?

Malaysia, which has long positioned itself as a leader in the global halal economy, was shaken by revelations of a“ meat cartel” that allegedly smuggled, repackaged, and fraudulently certified non-halal meat, including kangaroo, horse, and potentially diseased meat, as halal.

The scandal, believed to have operated for up to four decades, severely undermined consumer confidence and raised critical concerns about the integrity of Malaysia’ s halal supply chain.

The discovery of illegal imports from uncertified slaughterhouses in countries such as China, Brazil, and Ukraine causes widespread alarm. Investigations revealed that corrupt officials from several government agencies had allegedly accepted bribes in exchange for approving these illicit shipments.

These products were then sold in local markets using counterfeit halal labels.

For a nation striving to be a global halal hub, which has been exporting nearly US $ 9 billion worth of halal products annually, this was not just a food safety issue. It became a matter of religious observance, national credibility, and public trust.

JAKIM’ S ROLE AND ITS RESPONSE

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia( JAKIM), which is the principal body responsible for halal certification, came under significant public scrutiny.

However, its Director-General, Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee, clarified the agency’ s responsibilities and the scope of its authority.

He explained that JAKIM was tasked with certifying halal meat abroad in

@Halal May/June 2025 | Page 16

16

16

Halal integrity under fire

IN a bustling wet market on a typical morning in Kuala Lumpur, shoppers carefully inspect cuts of meat, confident in the halal logos they trust. Behind that assurance lies a deep-seated anxiety: What if the label is fake?