GOVERNMENT procedures and interpretations must be clear and consistent across federal and state levels to prevent confusion among businesses, following recent controversy over the use of Christmas-themed decorations at halal-certified premises, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Steven Sim said.
Steven Sim stressed that policy alignment was essential to ensure Malaysia’s business sector could continue to thrive regardless of race, religion, state or territory, particularly in industries such as food and hospitality that are dominated by micro, small and medium enterprises.
“On the issue of Christmas-themed decorations at food premises and hotels, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, has clarified that such decorations do not violate the halal certification requirements of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
“This clarification should be respected and adopted as common guidance so that implementation on the ground is consistent and does not confuse businesses,” he added.
Zulkifli has previously stated that there is no prohibition for holders of the Malaysian Halal Certification to use images, illustrations or decorations related to religious festivals other than Islam, provided they comply with stipulated conditions and do not undermine the principle of halalan thoyyiban.
He explained that non-permanent decorations, images and illustrations linked to non-Islamic religious celebrations on food products or premises are permitted under existing guidelines.
The issue gained national attention after a letter issued by the Melaka Islamic Religious Department advised that Christmas decorations were not allowed at halal-certified hotel kitchens and food outlets in the state, following a decision by the Melaka Halal Certification Panel meeting on October 31. The panel ruled that such decorations were religious rather than cultural in nature.
The directive drew mixed reactions, with some parties questioning its consistency with federal halal guidelines.
Earlier, JAKIM acknowledged that certain clauses in the 2020 Malaysian Halal Certification Procedures Manual had contributed to misunderstandings regarding the use of religious images and decorations.
JAKIM director-general Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee said there was no restriction and no offence committed by halal-certified premises or hotel kitchens in displaying decorations linked to other religions, provided they did not involve acts or symbols of worship.
“In fact, it is not an offence for halal certificate holders to put up decorations related to other religions, such as Christmas trees, Chinese New Year or Deepavali decorations,” he said.
“What is prohibited is when it goes to extremes and involves religious worship. Simple decorations pose no problem,” he added.
Sirajuddin said JAKIM would undertake further coordination with state religious departments through existing halal certification committees to ensure consistent understanding and enforcement.
“We will provide further clarification to those implementing halal certification at the state level. The clause in question relates only to elements of worship or explicit religious rituals,” he said.
Zulkifli has reiterated that the position is in line with JAKIM’s 2023 decision, subject to conditions including the non-permanent nature of decorations, the absence of worship tools, and the requirement that such decorations are not displayed together with the Malaysian Halal Certification logo.
The Melaka state government has said the earlier advisory was intended to preserve sensitivities and safeguard the integrity of halal certification, but federal authorities have since moved to standardise interpretation to avoid further confusion among businesses and consumers alike. - December 20, 2025
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