AMENDMENT TO ACT TO SPUR HALAL INDUSTRY

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), May 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Domestic Trade,
Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry is to table an amendment to the Trade
Descriptions Act 1972 in June to support government efforts to spur the national
"halal" (permissible in Islam) industry, Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said
Thursday.

The amended act would widen the scope of enforcement and not restrict it to
just food and other consumer products, he said when opening a seminar on
opportunities and challenges in the halal industry, here.

For example, it would allow the ministry to take enforcement measures
against abuse of the halal logo, he said, adding that the enforcement operations
would be conducted in collaboration with the Islamic Development Department
(Jakim) and the state Islamic departments.

Ismail Sabri also said that the act would only allow for one halal logo to
be used, that issued by Jakim.

"Then, it will be the duty of the ministry to ensure whether the Jakim halal
logo is used," he said.

He said the ministry collaborated with Jakim to ensure that the proper logo
was used and harnessed Jakim's expertise to ensure that the products were really
halal.

On the participation of cooperatives in the national halal industry, the
minister said only seven cooperatives had the halal certificate.

"In fact, their number should be huge because many cooperatives are involved
in the food industry," he said.

Ismail Sabri said the participation of bumiputeras and Muslims in the halal
products and services sector had yet to reach an encouraging stage.

"For example, in 2009, Jakim received 1,907 applications for halal
certification and only 622 of these were from bumiputeras (son of soil)," he
said.

-- BERNAMA