Indonesia: Government ends MUI’s authority to issue halal certificates

It’s official: The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has given up its authority to issue halal certification, nearly three decades after the clerical body was given the authority by then president Soeharto following mass hysteria over the circulation of lard.

The Religious Affairs Ministry has finally established the Halal Products Certification Agency (BPJPH) as the sole halal certification body.

The News Desk at Jakarta Post

The government has revoked the authority of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to certify halal products, following the inauguration of the Halal Certification Agency by Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Halim Saifuddin on Thursday.

The establishment of the agency was based on Law No. 33/2014 on halal product guarantee.

Lukman said the agency was not allowed to collect fees from businesses for issuing certificates. “We will make it as simple as possible. There will be no certification fee at all. It is an online service,” he said as reported by kontan.co.id.

The inauguration of the agency ends the MUI’s authority to issue halal certificates.

MUI deputy chairman Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi welcomed the government’s decision, saying that the MUI was behind the drafting of the Halal Product Guarantee Law and the establishment of the agency.

“Anything that relates to the protection and guarantee of halal products is now the responsibility of the government,” Zainut added in a statement on Friday.

He expressed the hope that there would be more legal certainty regarding the requirements for halal certification with the establishment of the agency.

“We have to support it and law enforcement has to start applying the law,” Zainut said, adding that obtaining halal certification was not compulsory. (bbn)

 

SECOND ARTICLE – Full details of establishment of BPJPH

Govt takes over halal label

By Marguerite Afra Sapii – The Jakarta Post

https://www.pressreader.com/indonesia/the-jakarta-post/20171014/281479276640397

 

THIRD ARTICLE

JAKARTA – The official government took over the management of halal certification from the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) as of Wednesday (11/10). This is marked by the inauguration of the operation of the Halal Product Guarantee Implementing Agency (BPJPH) by the Minister of Religious Affairs, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin.

The establishment of BPJPH is mandated by Law No. 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Guarantee (JPH). BPJPH will serve as the agency that manages the administrative process of halal certificate registration.

Lukman said that MUI still plays an important role in the issuance of this halal certification. MUI as the auditor of the product being registered. Before BPJPH issues halal certificates, there should still be a halal recommendation or fatwa from MUI certifying Halal Inspection Agency (LPH).

Chairman of the MUI, Ma’ruf Amin revealed that he is ready to support BPJPH. According to him, the guarantee of halal products at this time not only for consumer protection from goods that are not kosher, but halal products have become part of the business process. (HR)

18 October 2017 – Salaam Gateway

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s new halal logo will be released at the end of this year at the earliest by its new Halal Products Guarantee Body (Badan Peyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal, BPJPH) that was officially launched by the ministry of religious affairs on October 11, Nur Syam, the ministry’s secretary-general told Salaam Gateway.