Controversy Over Non-Halal Food Sales Ban in Medan: City Government Offers Clarification
Medan Mayor’s Circular Letter Number 500-7.1/1540 concerning the Arrangement of Locations and Waste Management for Non-Halal Meat Sales in the Medan City Area has sparked controversy. A number of people have accused the regulation of effectively banning the sale of non-halal meat in the city.
M. Sofyan, Assistant for Government Affairs and Public Welfare at the Medan City Secretariat, denied the accusation. He affirmed that the government is not prohibiting residents from trading in non-halal commodities, but rather regulating sales locations to prevent environmental disturbances, health risks, and discomfort for residents near public facilities, places of worship, and schools.
The spatial arrangement also serves as a form of protection and business certainty for traders. The government has prepared designated selling areas at Pasar Petisah and Pasar Sambu, complete with zones arranged by market management. A one-year fee waiver has been granted, with a proposal to extend it to two years so that traders can settle into their new locations more comfortably.
“The aim is to ensure trade continues in an orderly fashion and that social relations within the community remain harmonious,” Sofyan said at the Medan Mayor’s Office on Sunday (22 February).
Responding to the controversy and accusations of discrimination following the circular’s release, Sofyan described differing interpretations as natural. The government, he said, is prepared to open dialogue with all relevant parties so that the substance of the policy can be fully understood and misunderstandings avoided.
“The policy is oriented towards spatial arrangement, not prohibition, whilst demonstrating the local government’s commitment to delivering solutions that are orderly, fair, and continue to support the sustainability of businesses in Medan,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Citra Effendi Capah, Acting Head of Medan’s Department of Cooperatives, SMEs, Industry and Trade, added that the circular reaffirms existing regulations, such as the prohibition on selling on roadways, pavements, and drainage channels as stipulated in various local bylaws and previous mayoral regulations. As such, the policy applies to all traders, not solely to non-halal meat sellers.
“There is no specific location ban as long as traders comply with the regulations and display product labelling. Labels are necessary so that the public knows the type of goods being sold, thereby preventing purchasing errors — a practice that has long been applied in restaurants, hotels, and food establishments,” he said.
Citra revealed that the policy was drawn up through a process of dialogue and the gathering of input from various parties, including the Indonesian Ulema Council and the Inter-Religious Communication Forum, before ultimately being agreed upon as a circular letter.
“In addition, the government had previously mediated public complaints regarding sales activities at a number of locations and reached joint agreements between traders, community leaders, and local authorities,” he explained.