New religious affairs minister must ensure halal integrity
Corruption at the highest echelons of Malaysia’s Islamic bureaucracy
Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar
Anwar Ibrahim’s newly appointed minister for religious affairs within the prime minister’s department, Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has a massive job ahead of him in exposing the deep-rooted corruption within the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM).
Earlier this year, meat production at the Thomas International Foods (TFI) plant in Lobethal, South Australia, was confirmed to have regularly breached halal protocols, set by JAKIM. It took JAKIM more than three months to even admit there were any issues.
Since the TFI affair, reports have arisen of halal breaches occurring at other abattoirs in Australia. This has all been occurring under the nose of a JAKIM Halal Attaché, stationed at the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra.
Investigations have also shown that the Australian Department of Veterinary Services, and the former Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment, now incorporated under the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, had collaborated with JAKIM to cover-up these regular halal protocol breaches.
Nothing done over JAKIM’s ineptitude
The former minister for religious affairs Idris Ahmad, a senior PAS member, finally admitted on May 23 that there had in-fact been breaches in Halal slaughter protocols at TFI in Lobelthal.
However, other than suspending imports into Malaysia from that plant only, other alleged breaches of halal protocols at other plants were never investigated. In addition, Idris never investigated those within JAKIM who were responsible for allowing these serious breaches in halal integrity to occur.
Idris had allowed a gross endangerment of Malaysia’s halal integrity to remain completely unchecked. It is impossible to confirm whether shipments of Halal meat into Malaysia from Australia, are actually halal, according to JAKIM protocols.
Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee
The former religious minister Idris took the matter lightly during his tenure, leaving Malaysia’s halal supply chain under question over integrity. JAKIM’s deputy director general for policy Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee and the Halal integrity unit director Marzuki Bin Hasan were never investigated.
Former PAS religious affairs minister caused massive damage
Last June, Idris Ahmad advised Muslims not to attend the annual Japanese cultural festival Bon Odori, which had been going on for many years. Idris received a rebuke over his comments from the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. The Sultan using his prerogative told Minister Idris to attend the festival to see for himself, what actually occurs during the event.
This was a direct challenge to Royal prerogative, and blatantly disrespects the Sultan’s position as head of Islam in Selangor. Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah was also appointed by the Conference of Rulers as chairman of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI), and placed JAKIM under his direct jurisdiction.
Idris Ahmad - destroyed Halal integrity
Perikatan Nasional’s general disrespect towards the monarchy clearly worked against the coalition after the November 19, when the King was weighing up which coalition should be given the opportunity to govern. The decision could have gone two ways.
Idris’ insolence and Muhyiddin Yassin’s refusal to heed the Kings advice on forming a unity government led to Anwar being asked to put together a government.
New minister must act decisively to safeguard halal integrity
There is an urgent need for the new minister Mohd Na’im to safeguard Malaysia’s halal integrity. Under the watch of PAS, halal integrity was neglected. Under PAS, corruption within the Islamic bureaucracy was allowed to go unchecked.
Mohd Na’im has been a Syariah judge for over 25 years, and chief judge for almost four years. He has the experience and independence to intervene in both the issues of halal integrity and corruption.
How he handles these two problems will determine his legacy in the position as minister for religious affairs.
Hakimah Mohd Yusof - allowed a cover-up of halal integrity
JAKIM director general Hakimah Mohd Yusof should be immediately relieved of duty for allowing the perpetuation of lapses in halal integrity, and doing nothing to stem corruption within JAKIM. Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee should also be relieved from duty and investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as soon as possible. Finally, JAKIM’s complicity with the Australian Government must be made transparent, as a foreign government has been allowed to tamper with Malaysia’s halal integrity. Those complicit should be prosecuted. There need to be a review of the role played by Malaysia’s halal Attaché in the whole matter.
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