THE Muslim-Friendly Watch Group (MFW) has issued a public apology to Malaysians, particularly the Muslim community, over confusion surrounding its internal system known as Muslim Choice.
MFW president Noorman Kamsani said the Muslim Choice system was not a halal certification body or an endorsement label but merely an internal platform to manage corporate member data and records of MFW affiliates.
“The logo and name of the system were only meant for internal identification and were never authorised for use by any member, company or product.
“We regret the confusion that has arisen and sincerely apologise for any unease caused,” he told Sinar Harian on Monday.
On Sunday, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) clarified that the term Muslim Choice, introduced by MFW, was not an officially recognised halal certification or marking.
JAKIM Director-General Datuk Sirajuddin Suhaimee said the use of such a term could mislead the public regarding the halal status of certain products or premises.
Noorman said MFW had taken immediate action to suspend the use of the system and would review its organisational governance to ensure compliance with legal requirements and JAKIM’s guidelines.
He added that the organisation intended to make a courtesy visit to JAKIM for further guidance.
At the same time, he urged all parties to refrain from spreading speculation, false information and defamatory statements about MFW currently circulating on social media.
He also clarified that all seven members of MFW’s executive committee, registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS), are Muslims.
Noorman revealed that MFW had already met with JAKIM in August last year and subsequently discontinued the Muslim Choice system following JAKIM’s directive, limiting its use solely to membership purposes. Notices to halt all related operations had also been issued to MFW officers.
He said MFW will be lodging a police report against the dissemination of false claims on social media in order to protect the integrity and reputation of the organisation.
“This step is not intended to challenge anyone but to defend the truth and uphold justice,” he said.
Since its establishment, Noorman emphasised, MFW has remained committed to its vision of helping non-Muslim entrepreneurs understand and comply with JAKIM’s halal standards.
“To date, we have successfully assisted one non-Muslim entrepreneur in obtaining official halal certification from JAKIM through our training programmes conducted in collaboration with authorised agencies and halal executives,” he said.
He added that MFW has also been actively partnering with government agencies to organise basic halal training abroad as part of efforts to strengthen Malaysia’s halal agenda internationally.
“We hope this clarification will provide clarity to all parties. Our mission has always been guided by honesty, knowledge and integrity in advancing Malaysia’s halal agenda,” Noorman said. - November 4, 2025
