Chairman Datuk Mahmud Abbas said HDC is only involved as a joint committee in the Malaysia Halal Council for the development of the country’s halal industry.

“JAKIM’s responsibility is very clear, certification. They have to identify the product and they ensure that the products in the market are halal certified. HDC will never go into halal certification because it is not our role,” he told reporters at HDC’s 12th World Halal Conference here, today.

Also present was HDC chief executive officer Hairol Ariffein Sahari.

Mahmud said HDC and JAKIM work together closely as one body to improve the country’s halal industry.

“In the last few years, JAKIM was the secretariat of the Malaysia Halal Council. This year, HDC is the secretariat so we are the leadership, as the secretariat to the council. In the council, we work together as one body,” he said.

He said HDC as the Malaysia Halal Council secretariat, works together with the various halal development related ministries to ensure that the halal industry contributes significantly towards socio-development, consistent with the government’s aspirations.

The halal certificate issuance poser arose during the Pakatan Harapan administration, leading to the Cabinet’s decision that HDC would only be involved as a joint committee, emphasising on the development of the halal industry rather than taking over JAKIM’s role in the certification and other related matters.