December 8, 2006

Strict rules prevent Malaysian chicken breeders from halal certification
 

Many chicken breeders in Malaysia's state of Sabah could not obtain 'halal' certification for their products due to its strict requirements, the state's Minister of Agriculture said.

Speaking after officiating a seminar for Halal Food Standard Realisation, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail said of about 15 major chicken producers, only four or five have obtained the certification.

He said the halal requirement does not only cover the product itself but also the processes, the place, and other requirements.

Abdul Rahim cited a case in the state of Perak where fish in farms were fed with non-halal feed that included wastes from pigs, an abomination to those of the Muslim faith.

The minister also urged seafood restaurants to obtain the halal certification as such outlets attract tourists. This is a market expansion strategy which would assure Muslim customers and to the increasing number of tourists from Brunei and the peninsula, the minister said.

The same should be done by food and beverages outlets at major hotels so they can cater to Muslims and government customers, he said.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa said in its quest to become the world's main halal food hub, Malaysia has developed special zones to attract investments for halal food manufacturing and processing industries.

In the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the government announced the development of three corridors in the peninsula slated for such development.