Just yesterday, it was announced that strict action would be taken against F&B operators who trick customers by using the term “Halal” without a valid certificate.
The Ministry of Domestic Trade & Cost of Living (KPDN) isn’t messing around and has already gone after a restaurant in Kelantan for doing exactly that.
Halal logo without authorisation
According to a post by KPDN, a raid was carried out on November 18 at 12:30 PM after a tip-off revealed that a restaurant in Kota Bharu was using a halal logo without proper authorisation.
During the raid, KPDN confiscated several items, including the restaurant’s SSM registration copy, a local council license, 2 banner stickers with the halal logo, and 2 shop signboards. The total value of the seized items was estimated at RM150.
Kita Gempur campaign
The operation was a joint effort by KPDN officers and the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAHEAIK) as part of an integrated crackdown on the misuse of halal logos.
They found that the restaurant had broken Order 8(a) of the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) 2011. All seized items are now being processed for further action.
“KPDN Kelantan is stepping up the ‘KITA GEMPUR’ campaign to tackle issues like leakage, misuse, and smuggling of subsidized goods, as well as manipulation, fraud, and unethical cartel practices,” the post read.
In a written reply in Parliament yesterday, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali shared that if a food operator is caught using these symbols or logos to mislead Muslim customers, they could face a fine of up to RM1 million, three years in jail, or both.
