JAKIM still indifferent over Halal protocol breaches

JAKIM lying about TFI Halal investigation

Religious Affairs Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Idris Ahmad is concerned Muslims will go astray from events such as Bon Odori and the Oktoberfest. However, when it comes to halal integrity, he has just let the issues of breaches in halal protocol continue without any resolution.

Likewise JAKIM Director General Hakimah Yusof is continually telling the Malaysia press that she is awaiting the conclusion of an investigations undertaken by the Australian Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry. Hakimah has been waiting more than 5 months now.

It appears both the Minister and Director General are indifferent to the importance of Halal integrity for Malaysian Muslim consumers.

A statement from the Australian Agriculture First Secretary Nicola Hinder said;

“I can confirm that the department is engaging productively with regulators in Malaysia, including on the outcomes of recent departmental assurance activity conducted at Thomas Foods International.” 

The question here is why the Minister and Director General, who according to Australian Agriculture have received the results of the investigation, have denied to Utusan Malaysia they have received the results of the investigation?

The Utusan Malaysia report is below.

TFI: What are the results of Jakim's investigation, JPV?

By MAISARAH SHEIKH RAHIM

August 23, 2022, 7:42 am

Translated from Bahasa Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA: After months of halal non-compliance at Thomas Food Industries (TFI) being revealed, the Department of Veterinary Services (JPV) and the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) have still not conducted an audit at the slaughterhouse.

In fact, the Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia Inc. (SICHMA) as the halal body responsible for the slaughterhouse in Lobethal Australia has not been subjected to any punishment for failing to carry out proper monitoring.

The open confession of a former worker there previously known as 'The Hooded Man' or Abdullah who revealed how animals suffocated in blood reservoirs before being slaughtered seemed to have no defense just because they thought it was a mere fabrication.

However, the issue opened a new episode when another former butcher at TFI came forward to make a similar confession.

Screen capture of SD's sworn statement made by Ahmad to prove all allegations of halal non-compliance TFI is true.

Revealing to Utusan Malaysia, the man who wanted to be known as Ahmad and said he did not know Abdullah because he left the company earlier before Abdullah worked there.

According to Ahmad, throughout his work between April and October 2020, the 'activity' of suffocating animals in blood before slaughter was witnessed since the first day he worked.

"Every day about 6,000 sheep are slaughtered and every day I see animals fall and die in the pool of blood.

"The animals were later confirmed as halal even though they were obviously carcasses," he said here recently.

Many times

Ahmad said, although it has been raised many times to two SICHMA representatives in the field who alternate, but no action has been taken.

The quality assurance manager at TFI also seems to be turning a blind eye.

Even more distressing, the butchers were 'forced' to sign the 'load out' document (validation of halal products at the operation site) for three weeks in advance, in addition to being instructed to sign a blank form even though they did not know the details to be written.

It is at once a form of persecution against workers, said Ahmad.

"I am also not allowed to sharpen the knife because it is considered a waste of time to do so even though it is a mandatory requirement for halal slaughter.

"For those reasons, I left the company involved because it is 100 percent not halal," he said, who has been working as a halal butcher in the country for 10 years.

Proving that all allegations are true without prejudice, Ahmad made a sworn statement under the Statutory Declaration Act 1959 on August 7 last in Victoria.

Through the act, in the event of making a false statement, any party can be prosecuted under section 11 as a criminal offence.

Jakim on August 8 said that his party is still waiting for the audit report from JPV involving slaughterhouses in Australia and has not yet received a report from the relevant agency for follow-up action.- UTUSAN

The Statutory Declaration from the former worker at TFI Lobethal.

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