HALAL ACT TO BE INTRODUCED NEXT YEAR

LANGKAWI (Malaysia), Nov 9 (Bernama) -- The Halal Act that is meant to
ensure halal foods and the processing of halal items are in accordance to
Islamic requirements will be enforced by next year, said Minister in the Prime
Minister's Department, Senator Maj Gen (Rtd) Jamil Khir Baharom.

He said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) together with
state religious departments and the Attorney-General's Office were in the
process of formulating the bill, which was expected to be completed soon.

"Once the Act comes into force, it will facilitate enforcement in halal
matters at business premises nationwide," he told reporters after closing a
human development course organised by Jakim for senior government officials from
the northern zone and east coast state of Pahang, here Sunday.

Jamil Khir also said a laboratory for examining halal foods would be built
in Nilai in southern state of Negeri Sembilan under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

He said the government had acquired the land for it and that a RM20
million (US$5.9 million)
allocation was being sought to implement the first phase of the project.
-- BERNAMA