MUI to Launch 'Mandatory Halal October' Programme in Bengkulu

Bengkulu — The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) will launch the ‘Mandatory Halal October’ (WHO) programme in Bengkulu Province on 1 October 2026, to strengthen halal certification for business actors.

“WHO, or Mandatory Halal October, is a central programme that, God willing, we will launch in Bengkulu. This is something new, as we usually conduct such launches at our central office in Jakarta,” said the Deputy Secretary General for Halal Affairs of the Central MUI, Rofiqul Umam, in Bengkulu on Friday.

According to him, the programme is part of the implementation of Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance and Government Regulation Number 42 of 2024.

He mentioned that the launch of WHO in Bengkulu is planned to take place at the Baitul Izzah Mosque, Bengkulu, on 1 October 2026. He shared this during an audience with the Bengkulu Provincial Government in Bengkulu on Friday, 25 September 2026.

Rofiqul Umam stated that the audience served not only as a gathering for social connection but also as a platform to communicate MUI policies and programmes regarding Mandatory Halal October.

Responding to the plan, the Bengkulu Provincial Regional Secretary, Herwan Antoni, stated that the Bengkulu Provincial Government is ready to synergise and support programmes that benefit the community, including assisting business actors in obtaining halal certification.

“We welcome the fact that Bengkulu, the Land of the Red and White, will, God willing, become the starting point for WHO or Mandatory Halal October introduced in Indonesia. This momentum for launching a central programme can serve as a platform for business actors or MSMEs in Bengkulu to undergo halal product certification,” said Herwan.

Herwan noted that the Bengkulu Provincial Government will continue to support various programmes from both the government and central institutions aimed at driving regional progress and providing benefits to the public.