A RECENT post by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz enjoying a laksa meal at a popular restaurant in Penang has drawn mixed reactions from netizens.
The laksa shop is one of the most popular in Penang, but its halal status has sparked some controversy.
In Tengku Zafrul's Facebook comments section, some netizens claimed that the restaurant's halal certificate had allegedly been withdrawn.
Zafrul had visited the restaurant on Monday and even posted a picture of him enjoying the laksa.
However, this drew some criticism from several Malay netizens who questioned the halal status of the popular restaurant and also why Zafrul could not have eaten at a Malay restaurant instead.
In response, Zafrul posted a picture of the restaurant's halal certificate yesterday.
"Thank you to everyone who commented on the halal status of Penang Road Famous Laksa. When I went to the shop, I saw the halal certificate there. I also shared a picture of the halal certificate in the post.
"Some say that when checking on the JAKIM website, the halal certificate had been withdrawn, but when we see a halal certificate in the shop, we rarely double check on the website.
God willing, we will all remind each other," he wrote.
Zafrul is believed to have been in Penang in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebrations yesterday. – September 17, 2025
