Halal Certification for MSMEs Delayed Until 2028 on President’s Instructions as Government Seeks Solution
MAKASSAR — Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) Minister Maman Abdurrahman said the implementation of mandatory halal certification for MSMEs would be postponed until 2028 in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s instructions.
“The President asked us to postpone the deadline, which was supposed to be 18 October. He understands that MSMEs have made many appeals,” he said in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Sunday (25 October 2026).
He said the MSME halal certification requirement had not yet met its target, making a postponement necessary. Many MSME operators, he added, said they were still struggling to meet the documentation requirements.
Under the government’s free halal certification programme (SEHATI), administered by the Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH), a quota of 1.35 million certificates for MSMEs was available in 2026. However, the target had not been reached by the 18 October 2026 deadline.
“Besides the target not being met, many MSMEs feel the timing is not right, because the process is still considered quite demanding and they are not yet able to prepare the administrative documents. Therefore, it has been postponed for two years, until 2028,” he said.
Maman said the obligation to obtain halal certification was not a programme introduced by the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka administration, but a requirement under Law No. 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance, which set 18 October 2026 as the deadline.
“Because the President also sees that many MSMEs are still unable to comply, he has ordered the postponement until 2028 to ease their burden,” he added.
The ministry will assess the effectiveness of the delay, while following the President’s instructions by reviewing the issue and seeking a middle-ground mechanism to reach the best solution.
“What would that middle-ground mechanism be? It needs to reconcile the statutory requirement for halal certification with the capabilities of MSMEs,” he said.
“We must ensure that it does not become a burden for MSMEs. We are reviewing this, and hopefully we can find the best formula in the near future,” Maman added.
Mandatory halal certification is intended to provide Muslim consumers with comfort, security and protection by helping them avoid products whose halal status is unclear. In addition to being a statutory requirement, the provision is also governed by Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024 on the Implementation of Halal Product Assurance.