The Halal Certificate and Halal Label (Amendment) Order 2017 has made significant amendments which changes the scenario of halal certification in the country. If previously applications are voluntary, the latest amendments have made a large part of the application category mandatory and involves food premises such as restaurants, stalls, food courts, food and drink processing plants as well as food product enterprises. Speaking during a media conference on the application procedure for Halal Certificate and Halal Label for vendors who do not fulfil halal certification requirements and guidelines, as well as amendments to the rate of new halal permits under the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order 2005 yesterday afternoon, Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said that the implementation of this latest amendment is made as the Ministry of Religious Affairs realise that a number of parties have yet to fulfil the halal certification requirements and guidelines which are comprehensive or halalan tayyiban.

Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz said that Chapter 49B of the Halal Certificate and Halal Label (Amendment) Order 2017 has set forth an exemption, where by the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the council can in written, exempt any individuals or groups from all or some of the allocations of the order, depending on certain conditions. In line with this, approval can be obtained to give exemption to 2 categories of businesses namely a Limited Restaurant (which serves non-halal food especially for non-muslims) and food entrepreneurs who do not meet the requirements and guidelines of the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order 2005, food vendors, permanent stalls and short-term stalls. Touching on the Limited Restaurant, Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz said they are required to make an exemption application at the Halal Food Control Division. Meanwhile food vendors under subsection 2 must firstly make their application to obtain the Halal Certificate or Halal Permit before being given an exemption. The exemption procedure among others aims to allow entrepreneurs who could not fulfil the requirements and guidelines for halal certification to operate or carry out their businesses, even though they don't qualify to be given the halal certificate or halal permit.

However according to Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz, the Halal Food Control Division will continue to ensure that these businesses abide by the requirements in terms of the halal or permissibility of ingredients for food and drinks which are to be sold or distributed. The exemption period is only 1 year and businesses are required to make applications to obtain the Halal Certificate or Halal Permit before the exemption period is over.

 Touching on the payment rate for permits, Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz said approval has been obtained for the new payment rates. For micro industries, the payment rate for a new halal permit is five dollars for each product, for small industries - 150 dollars for every 20 products, Medium industries - 300 dollars for every 20 products, Macro industries - 700 dollars for every 20 products and 1000 dollars for every 20 products for Multinational.

With the new payment rates, each Halal Permit will come with an expiry date which is 3 years. However, the start date for the enforcement of these new rates will be informed at a later date. In this regard, the public is welcome to attend a roadshow to disseminate information about the new Halal Permit Payment Rates under the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order 2005 on the 18th of this month, at 9.30 in the morning and 2.30 in the afternoon. The roadshow organised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs through the Halal Food Control Division, Syariah Affairs Department will be held at the Ministry.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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