MALAYSIA: Amendments to Trade Descriptions Act to Facilitate Enforcement on Halal Certificate

The amendments to the Trade Descriptions Act 1972, when approved, will facilitate the Islamic Development Department and the State Islamic Religious Council in carrying checks to determine the status of Halal certificate at business premises in the country.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the amendments would also provide for action be taken against premises using fake or invalid Halal certificates.

"There are quarters who claim to have the certificate, but an expired one, and also those who obtained the certificate from sources not recognised by the government," he told reporters after opening the Kedah Takmir Teachers' Association at Sekolah Menengah Agama Yan.

He said that most hotel operators had realised the importance of getting the Halal certificate, with almost 95 per cent of the three to five-star hotels having applied for the certificate so far.

On the "takmir" teachers (teachers who teach religion in surau and mosques), Jamil Khir said there were almost 3,000 of them in Kedah and that they had been paid an allowance of RM100 an hour since early this year, from RM40 an hour previously. -- BERNAMA