'Halal certification enhances food business markets'

Jakarta, NU Online
Jakarta Provincial Government plans to issue a Gubernatorial Regulations (Pergub) about Halal Certification next year. This regulation contains an appeal to all hotels, restaurants and catering operating in Jakarta to care about halal certificates issued by Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI).<>

Director of Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics Assessment (LPPOM) MUI in Jakarta, Osmena explained that this certification would enhance food business markets because people wanted to eat food safely.

"With this certification, there is no doubt when someone chooses a restaurant," Osmena said recently.

There are three main requirements that must be met by entrepreneur to obtain halal certificate. First, employers must be honest in using food ingredients, ranging from meat, margarine and soy sauce. The food must not contain any forbidden elements in Islamic Law. Second, restaurant that wants to get halal certificate may not sell alcoholic beverages. Third, all employers must register their restaurants to LPPOM MUI.

Employers will be charged 2.5 million IDR per restaurant to obtain this certificate. This fee is used to pay professionals in food auditing process. 

Head of Jakarta's Culture and Tourism Office, Arie Budiman said that there were 4,018 food outlets and restaurants in Jakarta. However, only 315 restaurants are certified halal. He hopes after government publishing this rule, more restaurants equipping themselves with halal certificates.

To encourage more entrepreneurs, government has filed a Draft Law on Halal Product Warranty that is still being debated in House of Representatives. Halal product warranty is not only including food and drinks, but also medicines. This draft will open up the possibility of other halal certification agency outside MUI. 

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq