KUCHING: Sarawak has recorded a total of 1,256 halal certificate holders to date, with more than 20 certificates approved today.
Head of the Halal Division at the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), Ustaz Jamaludin Taim, said the certificate holders comprised small and medium-sized industries, including cottage industries and food-related businesses.
He said the halal certification process was subject to a 30-day Key Performance Indicator (KPI) once an application had been completed and was ready for auditing.
“Alhamdulillah, 71 per cent of our applications are completed within 30 days,” he said when met after officiating at the Majlis Doa Selamat dan Simbolik Penyerahan Sijil Halal at iCafe Sarawak Chinese Muslim Seafood here.
According to Jamaludin, applications that took longer were generally due to non-compliance with requirements that needed to be rectified before certification could be granted.
“Among the challenges faced by applicants were maintaining proper cleanliness, kitchen practices and other requirements identified during the audit process.”
He added that some entrepreneurs also faced difficulties in sourcing certain raw materials, including gelatin and food colouring, although suitable sources were available.
He said the relevant agencies continued to provide training, guidance and advisory services to assist entrepreneurs in understanding and meeting halal certification requirements.
He also encouraged more Muslim entrepreneurs, particularly those involved in the food industry, to pursue halal certification as it could provide additional value to their products.
“Halal certification is not just to emphasise that the food is halal, but it is an instrument to maintain the quality, safety and blessing of food.”
He said certification could also help local entrepreneurs expand their market reach, including opportunities in the international market, as Malaysian halal certification was recognised by foreign markets.
Jamaludin urged entrepreneurs not to view the certification process as an obstacle, stressing that the relevant agencies were ready to assist them in meeting the necessary requirements.
