The Muslim Consumers Association welcomed the government’s decision to formulate the Halal Act as a move to further advance the halal industry in Malaysia. Its president Datuk Dr Maamor Osman, however, said the act had to get the approval from the Council of Rulers before its implementation. “The main issue is the question of jurisdiction, whether the act falls under the jurisdiction of the Syariah (Shar’ah) or Civil courts…it has to be determined first,” he said.
Tabling the 2010 Budget at the Dewan Rakyat, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the government would formulate the Halal Act in collaboration with state religious councils. He said the Act would be the basis for the development, regulation and enforcement of halal industry activities. With the Act in place, the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) would also be corporatised as an agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), which will prepare and implement an action plan for its development.