Halal activist says he got threats after exposing premises

KUALA LUMPUR: A halal advocate has disclosed he has faced death threats and intimidation following his exposure of food venues operating without valid halal certification. Pejuang Halal activist Naim Malik reported receiving these threats via smartphone messages every time he shared information about uncertified premises on social media.

In an interview with Harian Metro, Naim emphasized that the threats did not intimidate him, rather they spurred him to intensify his efforts in investigating and exposing the halal status of food venues. His activism stems from a fardu kifayah responsibility to safeguard Muslim consumers, many of whom rely on social media reviews when choosing restaurants.

Common terms like 'Muslim-friendly,' 'Muslim Choice,' and 'no pork, no lard' are frequently used, especially in shopping malls, but these phrases do not serve as halal indicators. Naim cautioned that phrases like 'no pork, no lard' do not guarantee the food's halal status, as concerns lie in the source of raw ingredients, such as animals not slaughtered per Islamic law and the use of alcohol in cooking preparation.

He expressed worry over the transparency of the 'Muslim Choice' application, which he suspects is managed by non-Muslims, raising doubts about its credibility. Naim also pointed out instances where non-Muslim restaurants, using Malay-sounding names on food delivery platforms, served pork and alcohol-laden dishes to entice Muslim customers.

He had documented over 100 restaurants, many displaying Malay names or Islamic imagery to gain trust, but with non-halal ingredient sources. Naim's investigation, initiated three years ago after a family member visited a restaurant with unverified halal status via Jakim's portal, is ongoing, with thousands of food venues under scrutiny awaiting disclosure.