IBSW Supports Synergy Between BPJPH and Barantin to Strengthen Halal Product Supervision
The Indonesia Bureaucracy and Service Watch (IBSW) appreciates the strategic move by the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) and the Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) to strengthen synergy in supervising imported products through the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS). This collaboration is viewed as a concrete step to ensure that every product entering Indonesia meets halal, safety, and health aspects, while simultaneously strengthening the implementation of the Mandatory Halal policy, which is set to be fully enforced in October 2026.
The Head of BPJPH, Ahmad Haikal Hasan, emphasised that this cooperation is a strategic move to realise public protection through integrated commodity supervision, while supporting the smooth flow of trade that meets halal requirements amidst a dynamic global free trade environment. “This agreement is not merely the signing of a document, but a shared commitment to ensure that every product entering and circulating in Indonesia meets applicable regulations, regarding halal, health, and safety aspects. Through this synergy, we maintain public peace and comfort while strengthening Indonesia’s authority in product supervision,” stated Haikal in a written statement on Saturday (1/8/2026).
Responding to this, IBSW Chairman Nova Andika expressed appreciation for the cooperation between BPJPH and Barantin as a response to the challenges of increasing global trade flows that demand more integrated supervision systems. According to Nova, consumer protection is not enough by only ensuring products are safe for consumption; it must also provide certainty that products meet halal provisions as mandated by Law Number 3::3 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance.
“This synergy deserves appreciation as a tangible form of the state’s presence in providing comprehensive protection to the public. The supervision of imported products is no longer conducted sectorally but is integrated, so that the public gains certainty that circulating products have met safety standards as well as halal provisions,” said Andika.
IBSW believes that strengthening coordination between BPJPH and Barantin—ranging from data and information exchange and commodity traffic supervision to the handling of suspected violations—will increase supervisory effectiveness without hindering trade flows. An integrated supervision system is also believed to provide legal certainty for businesses and increase public trust in products circulating in the national market.
According to Andika, the experience of both agencies in handling findings of Meat Bone Meal (MBM) from Brazil containing porcine elements demonstrates the importance of cross-sector collaboration. That case proved that integrated supervision can accelerate the detection and handling of products that do not meet requirements, thereby minimising potential risks to the public.
Andika also supports the plan to strengthen data integration and supervision systems between BPJPH and Barantin. This step is expected to accelerate the inspection process at Indonesia’s entry points while strengthening the traceability mechanism for imported products. Consequently, supervision can be conducted more effectively, transparently, and accountably without reducing the quality of service to businesses.
Furthermore, Andika believes that the synergy between the two agencies is not only important for protecting domestic consumers but will also increase the competitiveness of Indonesian products in the global market. A credible supervision system will strengthen the confidence of international trading partners in Indonesia’s halal product assurance governance.
“The implementation of Mandatory Halal in October 2026 requires strong inter-agency collaboration. Therefore, IBSW encourages the cooperation between BPJPH and Barantin to be continuously strengthened down to the operational level at all entry points for goods, so that the supervision of imported products truly runs effectively, consistently, and provides real benefits to both the public and the business world,” said Andika.
Previously, the scope of cooperation between BPJPH and Barantin includes the exchange of data and information; coordination of the supervision of animal, fish, and plant quarantine commodity traffic related to Halal Product Assurance; coordination of handling suspected violations along with legal enforcement support; human resource capacity and competency enhancement; as well as the implementation of socialisation, education, promotion, and publication regarding Halal Product Assurance.