Recently, the Kelantan State Government announced that food operators in the state must apply for Halal certifications to continue operating their eateries, as it is a new condition for renewing their business licenses.
They also mentioned that non-Muslims have accepted this requirement and have no problem with it.
However, now, the Kelantan Malay Restaurant Owners Association (PERMEKA) is calling for this requirement to be postponed as Muslim-owned eateries are not ready for it.
According to a report by Berita Harian, PERMEKA is requesting for the Kelantan state government to postpone the decision to make Halal certification mandatory for business license renewals.
PERMEKA chairman Nik Hassan Mohd Zain shared that this decision is burdensome for small traders, adding that in their association, there are more than 100 premises, and almost all of them do not have Halal certifications.
“This matter was only recently discovered after some of us wanted to renew our business licenses before being informed that we needed to apply for a Halal certification to obtain the license,”
“This sudden decision is burdensome for us because the process of applying for a Halal certification is not easy and takes time. For every product we use in our shop, we need to obtain information from the supplier. Apart from the relevant matters, the shop’s conditions also need to meet the standards to obtain Halal certificate approval,” he said.
He also pointed out that some would have to spend tens of thousands of Ringgit to prepare the facilities as needed.
To have their call heard, the association will hold a meeting with the President of the Kota Bharu Islamic City Municipal Council (MPKB-BRI) in the near future to discuss this matter.
“Our situation as traders is now burdened by the increase in (the prices of) goods, coupled with this issue. Doing business is now difficult, and sometimes, the owners themselves are not getting paid,”
“We appeal to the state government to postpone this decision. If we apply for a Halal certification as requested, we will surely be charged with compounds after this,” he added.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
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