At the forefront of halal standards development are two key players : the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia ( JAKIM ) and the Department of Standards Malaysia ( JSM ).

JAKIM provides comprehensive guidance on all matters related to halal certification and Islamic principles , ensuring the spiritual sanctity of the standards . In parallel , JSM focuses on the technical aspects of standardisation and certification processes , working in collaboration with various stakeholders to ensure the relevance and suitability of these standards to the halal industry .

“ JSM has the mandate to develop national standards across all sectors , and one of our current focuses is on halal ,” said Department of Standards Senior Director , Standardisation , Hussalmizzar Hussain .

A NATIONAL CONSENSUS

He explained that developing halal standards in Malaysia involved research and consultation , consensus-building and harmonisation with international standards . He highlighted that Malaysia had made significant progress regarding the current state of halal standards development . The country is recognised as a global leader in halal certification and actively promotes halal industry development domestically and internationally .

“ When we talk about national documents , we develop them based on consensus at the national level . While we gather the relevant interests of stakeholders and consider their views to come up with standards , we must remember that we have authorities in Malaysia . For example , the halal authority in Malaysia is JAKIM , which plays a significant role and has the ultimate authority to make decisions ,” Hussalmizzar explained .

He stressed the importance of ensuring all interests were heard during standards development activities . It was essential , he explained , for JSM to collect input from diverse stakeholder groups within the established committee dedicated to developing a particular Malaysian standard .

WIDELY RECOGNISED GLOBALLY

Hussalmizzar said halal standards were crucial in Malaysia ’ s halal industry development . They are a foundation for ensuring halal products and services ’ integrity , quality and

“ As part of our initiative to internationalise Malaysian standards , we have proposed some of our standards for adoption by OIC countries as OIC standards . This effort aims to expand the usage of Malaysian standards globally . As a result , it is noteworthy that many OIC standards have been adopted from Malaysian standards . This is something that we should be proud of .”

– Hussalmizzar Hussain

Menara Cyber Axis , Cyberjaya .

compliance .

“ We have received significant interest and demand from other countries to adopt our national standards . They appreciate Malaysian halal development because our transparent processes uphold high integrity ,” he said .

Since November 2014 , Malaysia , represented by JSM , has been a member of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries ( SMIIC ), an affiliated organisation under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC ).

SMIIC has several key objectives , including realising harmonised standards within the OIC , eliminating technical trade barriers , and establishing uniformity in metrology , laboratory testing , and standardisation activities . Additionally , the organisation aims to provide

education , training , and technical assistance to OIC members in standardisation , accreditation , and metrology .

“ As part of our initiative to internationalise Malaysian standards , we have proposed some of our standards for adoption by OIC countries as OIC standards . This effort aims to expand the usage of Malaysian standards globally . As a result , it is noteworthy that many OIC standards have been adopted from Malaysian standards . This is something that we should be proud of .”

BENEFITS OF HALAL STANDARDS ADOPTION

Hussalmizzar highlighted that adopting halal standards would bring significant benefits to halal players , such as bolstering consumer