Controversy Over Halal Certification in Indonesia-US Trade Agreement: MUI Demands Equal Treatment
Jakarta — The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), through its Food, Drug and Cosmetics Assessment Institute (LPPOM), has urged the Indonesian Government to apply equal treatment regarding halal product certification.
MUI’s statement was issued in response to the trade agreement between the Indonesian and United States governments, specifically concerning halal certification requirements for US products entering Indonesia.
“We encourage the government to provide equal treatment and demonstrate its support for local producers,” said LPPOM MUI Chief Executive Muti Arintawati in Jakarta on Monday, 23 February 2026.
Muti explained that halal regulations under Government Regulation (PP) Number 42 of 2024 explicitly require cosmetics, medical devices, and related services (such as distribution services) to hold halal certificates, whilst non-halal products must include a non-halal label.
“However, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that LPPOM received, specifically Article 2.9, shows potential inconsistencies with the halal regulations that have been in effect,” she said.
Muti further explained that the MoU exempts cosmetics, medical devices, and their distribution services from mandatory halal certification, and that non-halal products would not be required to display non-halal labelling on their packaging.
“These exemptions are also found in Article 2.22, such as provisions exempting non-animal food products from halal certification requirements and removing the obligation for halal supervisors to be present at companies,” she said.
Muti assessed that this situation automatically creates an imbalance in competition, whereby local producers and foreign producers from countries other than the US face obligations that American producers do not. Other countries could also demand the same treatment, and there is potential for the unequal treatment to be challenged at the WTO on grounds of discrimination.
“We encourage the government to provide equal treatment, demonstrate its support for local producers, and not submit to foreign pressure regarding halal matters,” she said.
Previously, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya sought to correct reports claiming that US products could enter Indonesia without halal certification. Teddy stated that the reports were untrue and misleading.
“That is not true,” he said.
He affirmed that all products required to hold halal certification must continue to display official halal labels, whether issued by halal bodies in the US or by Indonesian authorities.