KUALA LUMPUR – Negri Sembilan mufti Datuk Mohd Yusof Ahmad has urged the authorities to temporarily suspend the import of meat from a slaughterhouse in Australia allegedly violating the halal slaughtering standard operating procedures (SOPs) to allow the authorities to conduct further investigations.
Yusof said that Muslims were advised to stop buying meat sourced from the slaughterhouse throughout the investigation period.
“In Islam, a hadith states that when we are in doubt (about the source of food), we cannot eat the food.
“Doubts have been raised. In addition, witnesses claim that the slaughtering procedure was done incorrectly, thus the import of meat should be suspended,” he said.
He was commenting on the claim by the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association, Pertubuhan Kemasyarakatan Rakyat, and Sahabat 99 regarding the breaches of the slaughtering protocols by a company in Australia certified halal by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
The company has denied the claim, but an investigation over the allegation is being conducted by Jakim and the Australian Agriculture, Water and Environment Department (DAWE).
Yusof said the authorities should also find a method to ensure that the meat that has already been on the market is not sold to Muslims.
Echoing the same sentiment, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman urged traders to be responsible by not selling meat obtained from the company.
He said Muslims could also avoid buying the meat if the company’s label was on the packaging, adding that as a precautionary measure, the import of meat from the company should be suspended pending Jakim’s investigation into the matter.
On May 10, Jakim said it was investigating alleged violations of slaughtering procedures by a company in Australia that has been certified halal by Malaysia, which is being carried out by the Jakim Halal attaché officer in Australia and DAWE. – Bernama, May 13, 2022
