Spotlighting the Trade Deal, UGM Academic Says the Halal-Haram Status of US Products Cannot Be Ignored

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SLEMAN — The trade agreement between the Indonesian government and the United States (US), following the signing of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), has drawn wide public attention. One of the points under scrutiny is the discourse that US-origin products entering Indonesia would no longer need to hold halal certification.

This issue has sparked concern, given that the number of Muslims in Indonesia stands at around 230 million. Calls for the Government not to bow to foreign pressure in halal-certification policy have continued, including from academics at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). The obligation of halal certification for products entering and circulating in Indonesia cannot be negotiated, including in the context of the trade agreement with the US.

“Halal certificates must be implemented here, so that the Muslim-majority public is protected,” said the Chairperson of UGM’s Board of Professors, Prof. M. Baiquni, on Tuesday (3/3/2026).

According to him, halal certification is not only in the interest of Muslims but of the entire Indonesian nation. Halal certification covers quality assurance, the origin of raw materials, production processes, packaging, and distribution.

“Products from anywhere, including from abroad, must be checked and tested. It is like when we import goods into other countries; they will conduct inspections until they meet the certification standards applicable in that country,” he said.

Baiquni also noted that public support could strengthen if there are products that pass without halal certification. Indeed, the potential for a boycott movement could arise if the policy is deemed contrary to applicable regulations and the principles of national sovereignty.

“I think public support, if later there are products entering that pass without such a halal certificate, we could initiate a boycott. Because that does not align with the existing regulations, that every country has sovereignty to regulate these processes,” he said.

UGM, he continued, is currently preparing academic manuscripts to be submitted to the government, the DPR, and related bodies. The study will examine potential violations of certain articles in the regulatory statutes if the policy is implemented.

“We will proceed with academic manuscripts that can be prepared by professors and lecturers so that we can present them to the government, the DPR, and other institutions, including embassies and so on,” he said.

“From the preliminary studies there are several aspects related to potential or indications of violations, so these need to be consolidated scientifically on how to solve them, because we must not let our President fall into a trap that could ultimately harm the Indonesian nation,” he said.