Amirudin calls for stern action over alleged halal breaches at Puchong chicken plant

KUALA LUMPUR: Consumer advocacy groups have demanded clearer guidelines and stricter oversight of halal standards at slaughterhouses after authorities seized over 6.5 tonnes of unapproved chicken from a Puchong storage facility. Yusrizal Yusuf, head of the Consumers Association of Kedah, highlighted the potential for gaps in monitoring due to overlapping duties among various agencies.

He suggested that halal enforcement should be consolidated under the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and backed by specific legal authority. Multiple laws currently govern the issue, leading to responsibility shifting among parties. The agencies involved in the recent raid included the Veterinary Services Department, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, health authorities, local councils, and Islamic religious departments.

Selangor's Chief Minister Amirudin Shari has called for severe penalties, including prosecution, for operators who breach procedures. Yusuf agreed with this stance but emphasized the need for clear demarcation of inspection and enforcement duties to prevent agencies from passing the buck to each other. He proposed that halal certification become a mandatory condition for local authorities to approve slaughterhouses supplying Muslim consumers.

Yusrizal also stressed that monitoring should not be confined to Selangor, given that both slaughterhouses and suppliers function across the nation. He urged Jakim to work with state Islamic religious departments to maintain comprehensive records of slaughterhouses and conduct regular inspections. For Penang's Consumers Association, the incident underscores the necessity of scrutinizing the authorities' oversight capabilities.

Research officer Hatijah Hashim questioned whether the Islamic Development Department, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, and the Veterinary Services Department had adequately fulfilled their responsibilities. She demanded stern action against the operator responsible for allowing such violations and reiterated CAP's ongoing concerns about mechanized poultry slaughter practices.