BPJPH: Eid al-Fitr as Momentum to Strengthen Public Awareness of Halal Products

The momentum of Eid al-Fitr presents an opportune time to strengthen public awareness in selecting halal products. Head of the Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) Ahmad Haikal Hasan urged the public to always ensure the halal status of consumed products, especially amid the increased consumption activities during Lebaran. “If you wish to eat at a restaurant or café, make sure it has a halal label. If it already has a halal label, it means the product has undergone examination, testing, and halal determination in accordance with applicable regulations. If there is no halal label, its halal status cannot be guaranteed,” he stated in a written remark received by Kompas.com on Thursday (26/3/2026). The man familiarly known as Babe Haikal emphasised that the obligation for halal certification for products circulating in Indonesia will apply in full starting October 2026. This provision refers to Law (UU) No. 33 of 2014 and Government Regulation (PP) No. 42 of 2024. He added that Eid al-Fitr has long been synonymous with culinary traditions, such as ketupat and other signature dishes. Therefore, Babe Haikal invited the entire community to actively participate in supporting the implementation of halal product assurance. “This is not just the government’s task, but a collective role. The public needs to be aware and actively choose halal products. In doing so, we can protect ourselves while strengthening the national halal product assurance system,” he continued. Furthermore, Babe Haikal stressed that the government continues to promote ease of halal certification, particularly for micro and small business actors (UMK). He explained that there are several schemes for halal certification, such as self-declare, which can provide opportunities for UMK actors to obtain halal certificates quickly and affordably.