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Indonesia: MUI Criticizes NU’s Plan to Draft Halal Certification

salama — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:22:52 +0000

Thursday, 02 February, 2012 | 13:54 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) has criticized Nahdlatul Ulama’s (NU) plan to draft halal and honesty certifications for its members.

Lukmanul Hakim, MUI’s food, drug and cosmetics study agency’s (LPPOM MUI) director, said it was unnecessary for NU to issue its own certifications because the LPPOM’s halal certificate was transparent and practical. However, he said, the certificate arrangement was subject to fees because the office is not subsidized by the government.

NU Businessmen’s Association (HPN) chairman, Abdul Kholik, questioned the ban. He said the NU’s certification plan aimed to protect its members under stricter NU references for determining whether a product is halal.

“It’s true the MUI is the head of all Islamic organizations, including NU, but we don’t feel that we’re represented by its halal certificate,” said Abdul.

MUI Secretary General Muhammad Alkhathath said that in the certification process, an audit must be conducted by an expert to check whether a product was halal. “In principle, it’s like the food and drug monitoring agency,” he said.

AFRILIA SURYANIS / FATKHURROHMAN TAUFIQ

Indonesia: PBNU Drafts Halal references

salama — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:49:07 +0000

TEMPO Interactive, SURABAYA: The leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) are working on drafting halal standards. As such, all production distributed among NU members must be approved by the Nahdlatul Ulama Businessmen’s Association (HPN). The special standard is part of the recommendation produced during the ‘Rembug Saudagar NU and NU Expo 2012′ that was held in Surabaya from January 26 – 29.

“This is important because 70 percent of Muslims in Indonesia are NU members. We have an interest to keeping the products used and consumed by NU members halal and ensuring they are manufactured honestly,” said HPN chairman Abdul Kholik.

Besides maintaining product quality, NU says the the halal label aims to increase the bargaining power of Nahdliyin and its share of the market.

Committee head of NU Expo 2012, Anang Prabowo, said the expo was attended by 25,000 visitors. “The expo this year was more successful than last year,” he said.

FATKHURROHMAN TAUFIQ

Indonesian Vice President Opens the AGM-WHFC

salama — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:44:53 +0000

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesian vice president, Boediono, opened Annual General Meeting World Halal Food Council (AGM-WHFC) and International Workshop on Indonesian Role for Strengthening Global Halal 2012, at his office, Monday.

The meetings among Muslim scholars, he said, would promote understanding and expand experience on how to implement the system of halal product in an effective way. Halal means food or other things prepared in accordance to Islamic law.

“The forum will be a great opportunity to open discussions and exchanging ideas among policy makers, practioners, academicians, and stake holders,” Boediono said.

For Muslims, food, drink, medicine, cosmetic and other products are not only to fullfill physical needs, but also should be in accordance to religious principles.

Indonesia has 200 milions Muslim in its population. The number is equal with six other countries in total, namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Uni Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, and Turkey. The huge number reflects a great potential for halal product.

“Therefore, we need to work hard to write, implement, and monitor the policy on halal products. We also need to promote implementing these policies to achieve global standardization in halal product,” he said.

Furthermore, Boediono explained that halal standardization was the duty of Indonesian Muslim Scholars Council (MUI) and Drug and Food Enforcement Body (BP POM). The bodies task to certify halal products in Indonesia.

“We need to enhance cooperation with other countries. Hopefully, The World Halal Food Council can facilitate such cooperations,” Boediono said.

Indonesia: The Halal Beauty Debate Is More Than Skin Deep

salama — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 12:48:24 +0000

Dewi Kurniawati The Jakarta Globe

Heggy Kearens was totally determined when she posted a status update on her Facebook wall questioning the motivations of some of her more pious friends.

They had recently joined a multi-level marketing scheme to sell a popular Swedish cosmetics brand distributed here. According to Heggy, two issues bothered her: First, there is the fact that the brand has no halal label on its products; second, she believes the whole concept of multi-level marketing is still a “grey zone” in terms of Islam because it allows one to profit from the labor of others.

So, the 25-year-old graduate student steamed ahead with her Facebook campaign. She wrote on her status message: “I am questioning the halal status of [the brand]. I know many of my friends are selling these products but according to twitter account @halalcorner, these products are not halal. My dear friends, please be careful, for the halal status, we can check them through halalmui.org.”

After that, she was barraged with comments from her friends, some of whom supported her concerns, while others disagreed. Some of the blowback came in the form of what she called “unpleasant” e-mails. She said she also got a few kicks on her twitter account.

“I intentionally posted that status because I know for a fact that many of my friends who were extremely devoted to Islam during college are now selling these products, which is an irony, because those products have no halal label.” It’s just too easy to swing away from being pious just for economic reasons, she said.

“We are talking about people who used to refuse to eat in a restaurant without a halal certificate,” Heggy said, adding that as a Muslim herself, she cares about using halal products, although she does not take the issue to extremes.

Is it Halal?

The halal label, of course, is used worldwide, but mostly in Muslim countries to ensure that the food and drink — and even cosmetics —that consumers are buying was made in accordance with Islamic law. In Indonesia, the label is meant to show that the product has been certified by the Indonesia Ulema Council’s (MUI) food and drug monitoring body to contain no traces of pork or alcohol.

The designation is also supposed to certify that animals used for food are slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law — with the animal dying immediately, the blood being drained away and the process dedicated to Allah. In the case of cosmetics, they should use plant extracts and minerals instead of alcohol and animal products, a particular concern since many cosmetics use rendered animal fats and swine placenta.

For some Indonesian Muslims, the voluntary halal label is the determining factor in their decision about whether to eat at a certain restaurant or buy particular products. For some international companies working in Indonesia, having the label is also crucial for selling their products because almost 90 percent of the population is Muslim, making it the world’s most populous Muslim country.

One of them, is Bilma Yulita, a mother of two daughters who lives in Jakarta. Bilma is a devout Muslim who believes that the halal label is an absolute necessity she must take into consideration before deciding to use a product, whether it be food or cosmetics.

“The halal label is my first sensor in choosing any product, and I teach my children to do the same,” she said, adding that her oldest daughter — who is now 8 years old — seems to have absorbed the lesson early because she is aware of the label and also refuses to consume products without the halal label.

“When she was in kindergarten, someone offered her food without the halal label, and she told me, ‘Mama I don’t want this.’ I was touched,” Bilma said.

For exactly the same reason, a year ago, Bilma stopped buying the Oriflame products that she had been using since 2008. “I heard that it had no halal label and so I stopped buying it,” she said. “I honestly think that MUI should label everything, so that Muslims can be free from doubt over what they use.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs introduced the halal certificate in 1994 and it has granted thousands of certificates since then for various types of food, beverages, and cosmetics. But MUI officials estimate that less than 15 percent of all products sold in the country have the halal label. The head of MUI’s Halal Assurance Division, Muslich, said food and beverage companies are more eager to get certification than cosmetic or drug firms, less than 10 percent of which seek out halal status.

Why Bother?

While some embrace the label as a matter of devotion to Islam, others consider the whole concept an extra chore and choose to ignore it. “I don’t care about the halal label and I don’t understand why some people would make a fuss about it and make their life more difficult,” said Andina Mustika Ayu, a graduate student at the University of Indonesia, shrugging her shoulders.

“I have tried halal cosmetics, but they are just not that good,” she added. Although a Muslim, Andina thinks the label is more political and business oriented, and as such, the MUI should stick to just labeling things that are forbidden.

Amidhan, the head of MUI, said despite growing public awareness of the label, the agency needs a legal umbrella to require all companies to put it on their products.

“The halal bill is still in the parliament. Some support it, but many oppose it,” he said. If the bill is passed, then all products produced and circulated in Indonesia would need halal certification before being allowed in the market — a step which would be unusual for a secular country.

Currently, MUI uses the Assessment Institute for Food, Drugs and Cosmetics and the body’s Fatwa Commission to certify products halal. The process lasts around two months and requires the inspection of a company’s ingredients, production, storage, display, packaging and transportation.

Selling Point

The cost? Companies pay between Rp 500,000 and Rp 4.5 million for a two-year certification — a modest sum that many companies will likely continue to see value in as a way to show respect for Muslims.

“I think companies should consider this an extra selling point instead of a burden,” said Amidhan. “We advise companies to put the halal certification fee in their promotional budgets.”
The importance of halal labels is not likely to go away anytime soon. The emergence of fake halal labels brought a flurry of complaints to the MUI body, which says it will install an sms hotline so consumers can check if a product is really halal.

“Now, if a company is faking its halal certification, the punishment is Rp 2 billion, or up to 5 years in jail,” Amidhan said.

But the option to follow halal guidelines, of course, goes back to the individual. In this case, Heggy Kearens agreed. “I care about it, but it’s a personal choice,” she said.

Indonesia: Jakarta to be World’s Halal Food Center

salama — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:22:15 +0000

Jakarta will be a center of the world’s halal food as headquarter of the World Halal Food Council (WHFC) that will be officially opened in January 16 2012.

“The office, located in the MUI (Indonesian Ulema Council) Building, Central Jakarta, will be inaugurated concurrently with the opening ceremony of the WHFC annual meeting,” the Director of MUI Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) Lukmanul Hakim said in a release received here, Thursday.

Indonesia as a world’s halal food center is supported by some international halal certification agencies such as those in United States, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore.Last year, Coordinating Minister of Economy Hatta Rajasa has signed the declaration that established Jakarta as the head office of the World’s Halal Food Council. and supports from the international keeps coming to Indonesia.

Lukman said the annual meeting of WHFC in Jakarta would be a great and strategic momentum for Indonesia as a country which had the largest number of halal products consumers.With a great number of Muslim consumers and the various industries of food, beverages, medicines, and cosmetics, Indonesia should be a leader in the world’s halal products competition,” Lukman said.

The Annual General Meeting of WHFC will be held in Jakarta on January 16-18 and will be opened by Indonesian Vice President Boediono. The meeting will be attended by Ambassadors and commercial attaches from other countries, observers, directors of halal product industries, and at least 25 world’s halal certification agencies.

The agenda of the meeting would be a discussion on the work program, standardization, socialization, and education of halal products all around the world. WHFC was established in 1999 in Indonesia and Prof. Aisjah Girindra was elected as its president.

On June 23 2011, members of WHFC agreed to reactivate the WHFC and elected Lukmanul Hakim as its president as well as Jakarta as its headquarters.

WHFC Annual Meeting, Together Harmonizing the World Halal Standards

salama — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:00:54 +0000

Halalmui.org

The annual meeting of the World Halal Food Council (WHFC) will be held in Jakarta on 16-18, January 2012. The event which will take place at the Sultan Hotel is the first meeting since June 2011, when the WHFC was reactivated, after being known over recent years as the World Halal Council.

WHFC meeting will be attended by not less than 25 halal certification bodies, who are the members of WHFC, from various countries around the world. The President of WHFC, Ir. Lukmanul Hakim, MSi., saying, the agenda of this annual meeting will discuss working program of WHFC, Halal standards, and implementation of both socialization and education of WHFC as well, particularly in various matters of halal food, medicine and cosmetics. Not only halal certification bodies, the Annual General Meeting of WHFC will also be attended by relevant government agencies of Indonesia, management of halal manufacturers products and government representatives from neighboring countries.

As it is known, WHFC had been established in 1999 in Indonesia, and Prof. Hj. Aisjah Girindra had been unanimously appointed as the President. Over the years, WHFC changed its name becoming World Halal Council (WHC). But on June 23, 2011, WHFC members arranged a special meeting and agreed to reactivate WHFC by selecting Ir. Lukmanul Hakim, M. Si as the President, and established Jakarta as the location for the headquarters of WHFC.

Lukmanul Hakim who also served as the Director of LPPOM MUI, adding that the election of Indonesia as the venue for the annual meeting of WHFC this year is the right step. Because, Indonesia is a very potential market for halal products from around the world, With a population of 240 hundred million people, where nearly 200 million inhabitants of them are Muslims, then, Indonesia holds an important position in the arena of the world’s halal business.

In comparison, Malaysia’s current population is about 27 million people, while the whole population of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Kuwait, when combined all together, only reach about 109 million inhabitants. Compare it with the population of Muslims in Indonesia which is nearly 200 million.

In addition that it is backed by the purchasing power, Indonesia, where its halal certification is handled by LPPOM MUI, also has both Halal Certification System and Halal Assurance System which have been recognized worldwide. Currently, the standards of halal assurance system by LPPOM MUI have been recognized by other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and countries in the European region. At the international level, Indonesia is also known as the initiator of the establishment of the World Halal Council or the World Halal Food Council or WHFC, “said the Director of LPPOM MUI, Ir. Lukmanul Hakim, MSi.

(Translated into English by Usman Effendi AS).

Australia: Moves to implement stunning before report

salama — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:22:08 +0000

A BUSINESS relationship between an Australian and Indonesian company both intimately involved in the live export trade continues to make giant strides in efficiency improvements due to their decision to self-impose codes of practice in relation to animal welfare and other safety issues prior to the Government ban in June.

Kentmaster Australia s operations manager Scott Booth and sales manager Warren Farr, with one of the stunners being supplied to Indonesian abattoirs.

Warren Farr, the sales manager of Brisbane-based stunning equipment supplier Kentmaster Australia, says arrangements were already in place with its Indonesian agent, Pt. Agro Giri Perkasa (AGP), to introduce mandatory preslaughter stunning as a supply requirement well before the Federal Government suspended the trade for a month based on Indonesian abattoir cruelty allegations.

Mr Farr said a supply order for pneumatic non-penetrating stunners was lodged by their Indonesian agent months before the airing of animal cruelty on ABC Television which led to the devastating trade halt. He said the stunners were destined for several Indonesian abattoirs that process Australian cattle, not only to improve animal welfare but to help enhance productivity gains and improve worker safety.

“It was at the time recognised that the benefits to do so weren’t just an animal welfare issue, but also encompassed other aspects such as slaughter floor/staff safety, animal handling, halal, religious and cultural beliefs, lack of refrigeration facilities and meat quality,” he said. “With the announcement of the Farmer report and the Government stating it will introduce all 14 recommendations, a number of interested parties in the supply chain (as stated in the media), are concerned that mandatory preslaughter stunning was not one of the recommendations, and believe that the Government needs to open discussion with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as soon as possible to have this introduced.”

Mr Farr said he was heartened by a report in the September 29 edition of Queensland Country Life that highlighted the growing acceptance of preslaughter stunning within the Indonesian beef supply chain.

Indonesia: MUI remains alert amid China’s barrage of halal products

salama — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:41:50 +0000

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has confirmed a dramatic rise in the number of halal food products coming in from China, but remained skeptical over that country’s developing halal industry.

“The number of halal products from China has increased by 50 to 100 percent since last year,” the MUI’s Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) chief Lukmanul Hakim told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

He said that some of China’s halal food exports to Indonesia, which by far exceeded those from Europe and America, were products that came from Ningxia, a province known for its Muslim Hui ethnicity.

Chinese Muslims in Ningxia, who make up around 38 percent of the province’s 6.3 million residents, recently announced that they had built a halal industry to accommodate not just the needs of fellow Chinese Muslims in China but also Muslims in other countries.

Ningxia’s halal food commission said that the province had more than 10,000 factories and restaurants that had been certified halal.

The region’s halal industry is supported by a high-tech laboratory, 15 experts and 300 staffers and is currently worth up to 50 million RMB (US$8 million).

The commission added that the industry had been working with its foreign counterparts since 2008, cooperating on a reciprocal basis with halal institutions in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Malaysia, with Indonesia soon on the agenda.

Lukmanul acknowledged the vast development of the Chinese halal industry, but said that the LPPOM, acting as Indonesia’s halal certification authority, did not see itself engaging in any Chinese cooperation any time soon.

“Sure they can cooperate with Malaysia and Saudi, but here we pay greater attention to standards and human resource competency. It is not just a matter of certificate issuance,” he said.

The LPPOM has so far approved the halal certification of 46 overseas institutions from 22 countries, including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and the Netherlands. For all its flow in halal exports to Indonesia, China, ironically, did not make the list. (awd)

Indonesia: Halal Certification by MUI Gaining Increasing Appreciation Worldwide

salama — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:09:39 +0000

Halal certification which has been performed and issued by the Indonesian Council of Ulama is increasingly gaining appreciation worldwide. At least 22 countries with 48 Islamic institutions and international Islamic fatwa bodies all over the world have recognized and received the fatwa issued by MUI.

The Director of LPPOM MUI, Ir. Lukmanul Hakim, M.Si., adding that in the recent progress and developments, there have been many countries recognizing and receiving Halal Fatwa by MUI. Among them are the countries in Middle East region, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which previously did not care about halal certification.

“Turkey, a secular State, which was originally strictly prohibited nuanced symbols of religion, including Islamic symbols, now has also recognized halal certification of MUI”, said Lukmanul Hakim.

Some time ago, the Director of LPPOM MUI and some leaders of MUI had been invited to Dubai, UAE, to make presentations and discuss various aspects of halal certification which have been conducting MUI so far.

In addition, the system of halal certification and halal assurance system which have been established by LPPOM MUI have also been well accepted and adopted by 48 international halal certification bodies, such as halal certification bodies in the ASEAN region, Australia, Europe and even America and Africa.

In this regard, as revealed by the Chairman of MUI, H. Amidhan, MUI has made a list of overseas halal certification bodies which have been recognized by MUI.

Combining Science and Islamic Shariah

Lukmanul Hakim described again, they give the appreciation after looking at the performance of MUI which can combine the two aspects of science and Islamic shariah at the same time simultaneously, so that it becomes a halal assurance system which is proven scientifically and strengthened by the shariah propositions in the realm of Islamic texts, the Fiqhiyyah studies.

For example, Lukmanul Hakim argued about alcohol, as the dominant content in beverages, the alcoholic drinks, which is prohibited explicitly by the Islamic texts of shariah propositions. At first, the ulamas forbid alcoholic beverages, which through a qiyash or analogous method, it is comparable with khamar which has been prohibited explicitly. And hence, all alcohol is forbidden.

Categorization of Alcohol

Then, LPPOM MUI conducts an intensive studies and research. In fact, the result shows that alcohol itself can be grouped into three main categories. Firstly, the alcohol contained in khamar, the beverage or alcoholic drink which is strictly forbidden in the texts. Secondly, the alcohol contained in many types of fruits and food, such as durian, or even rice; and thirdly, the alcohol which is made synthetically through an industrial processes and used to wash any tools and equipments, to be sterile and hygienic.

Through this categorization, the ulamas in the Fatwa Committee of MUI then determine that the alcohol in khamar, the beverage or alcoholic drink is distinctively forbidden, in accordance with the provisions of the shariah texts, while the alcohol contained in fruits such as durian, and foods such as rice, are not forbidden to be consumed. And the synthetic alcohol can be used to wash industrial tools and equipments. It is not categorized as khamar which is defiling filth or dirty. (Translated into English by Usman Effendi AS).

Turkey: D8 members to discuss joint projects

salama — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:02:02 +0000

Industry ministers from a group of eight developing countries (D8) will discuss joint projects among the member states in an upcoming meeting in Turkey’s Istanbul.

The second meeting of industry ministers of D8 will be held in the city on Oct. 4-5, 2011.

Participants will discuss jointly manufacturing a car, adopting policies on energy and environmental issues, observing food standard — halal food in particular — and joint petrochemical plans, IRNA reported on Sunday.

The meeting will also seek to increase current potentials and raising the trade of steel in the group.

Earlier, Turkey’s foreign ministry announced that four members of D8 — comprising Iran, Turkey, Nigeria and Malaysia — have enforced preferential tariffs in their trade.

The preferential tariffs were put into effect on August 25, following the ratification of a preferential trade agreement between the four members of D8, a statement by the Turkish foreign ministry read.

The first meeting of the industry ministers of the D8 was held in Tehran on March 2, 2010.

Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Bangladesh and Indonesia are D8 members.