Non-Muslim contractors in Sabah won halal food tenders, reveal records

AT least three non-Muslims were found operating companies that supplied halal-cooked food to Sabah school dormitories despite not meeting the religious criteria required under government tender rules.

The contractors were named in a recent police report filed by the Pertubuhan Kebudayaan dan Kebajikan Murut Malaysia, which stated that the three men had never been registered as Muslims with the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAINS) but had secured halal food contracts meant exclusively for Muslim-owned businesses.

The individuals identified are Asrin Songorou, Marudin Bin Andawai, and Sahadi Andawai. Marudin was also linked to a registered food supply company.

This came to light when Pertubuhan Kebudayaan dan Kebajikan Murut Malaysia president Raymond Ahuar lodged a police report on the matter and checked with JHEAINS whether they are registered Muslims.  

Halal food tenders for school asrama (boarding facilities) in Malaysia fall under strict guidelines. 

Not only must food preparation comply with halal certification standards, but the contract holders themselves are required to be Muslims, as stipulated by the Ministry of Education’s procurement criteria.

Checks at the JHEAINS office in Nabawan, however, revealed that all three individuals were not registered as Muslims, casting doubt over how their companies qualified for halal catering tenders in the first place.

The issue first surfaced in 2022, when the media reported that eleven food contractors were fined after pleading guilty to submitting falsified bank statements to obtain tenders worth RM25.79 million between 2014 and 2018. 

Both Marudin and Asrin were among those named in the court proceedings, which were widely reported. It is said the value of each contract could be in the tune of between RM2 million and RM5 million. 

At the time, their religious status was not in question. 

That changed following recent checks in Nabawan, which showed that the individuals were not recorded as Muslims in the official database.

“This is not only about falsified documents. This is about eligibility for religious-based contracts. These tenders were meant for Muslim vendors. That requirement is clear. But some of these individuals appear to have bypassed that entirely,” he said. 

Raymond said that the contracts in question were not minor. 

With dozens of schools across Sabah, the total value of such tenders represents a significant portion of state expenditure on student welfare.

He has urged the authorities to investigate how the tender approvals were issued without proper religious background checks. 

He also called for a review of all active halal food contracts across Sabah to determine whether similar cases have occurred elsewhere.

He added that all Malaysians have a responsibility to uphold Islam as the religion of the Federation and ensure that religious provisions in law are respected, not misused. – April 27, 2025