A helpful initiative

A helpful initiative

A unique scandal rocked this nation in 1988. Several local
food products were said to contain pork fat. The rumors, which
were triggered by an academic's findings in East Java, caused
serious disquiet among the majority of Moslems and hit many food
producers hard. This is understandable because the food products
which were said to contain pork ranged from biscuits, milk and
instant noodles to soy sauce. The public calmed down only after
the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) ruled that products which the
government had declared halal (edible according to Islamic law)
should be considered so pending further investigation).

After the uproar many people thought a halal label for all
food products was needed in order to prevent Moslems from
inadvertently buying and consuming food that was forbidden under
Islamic law. Such food does not only consist of pork but also
includes carcasses, blood and the meat of animals slaughtered in
the name of any deity other than Allah.

Simple as it may seem, providing the halal label is no easy
job because food is produced not only by factories but also by
restaurants and street vendors and all consumers deserve
protection. MUI thus urged the government and the House of
Representatives to pass a new law on food and beverages to
replace the old one, which is no longer considered adequate. MUI
also called for strict supervision of food products, not only in
factories, but also in hotels, on planes and on ships. MUI also
appealed to businesses engaged in food processing and marketing,
especially those owned by Moslem business people, to supply halal
foods and beverages.

The government was entirely responsive in the matter. In 1992
a decree was issued by President Soeharto, requiring all
manufacturers of food products, beverages and cosmetics to put
the halal label on their products' packages. This label was
subsequently provided after the green light was received from the
government's Directorate General for Food and Medicine
Supervision. However, that agency does not seem to be big enough
to carry out the supervision of food products in hotels and
restaurants, not to speak of on ships and at roadside food
stalls.

Realizing the difficulty of the situation, MUI's institute
for the assessment of food, medicine and cosmetics this week
issued its own halal certificates for various food products as
well as for certain restaurants. It also introduced what it calls
an "internal halal auditing program" in which auditors undergo
in-house training at production facilities. They are responsible
for reminding producers and restaurants to remain consistent in
abiding by the halal conditions.

Although it lacks a legal basis, MUI's initiative should be
viewed as an act of moral responsibility. It is indeed a positive
measure, considering the government's limited ability to control
all food products, especially in restaurants and food stalls. It
will hopefully give Moslems the desired peace of mind because,
unlike in Malaysia, for instance, most restaurants here which
sell food which is forbidden for Moslems do not take the trouble
to inform their Moslem customers of the fact.

The step taken by MUI will surely benefit restaurant owners,
because even those which have issued their own halal labels may
not really know what the halal designation actually involves. The
MUI label will also protect true halal restaurants from unhealthy
competition, with one dining establishment accusing another of
selling food that is not halal under a self-made halal label.

It is hoped that MUI's action will spur the government to take
a more active role in issuing halal certificates, which would be
most helpful because the government has experts available and can
more easily reach all corners of the country. And last but
certainly not least it may be worth noting that the issuance of
the halal certificates will in no way affect or inconvenience
non-Moslems.