Govt to Set Bill on Halal Certification Fee Today
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17 October 2019 13:03 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Ministry is eyeing to complete its ministerial regulation on the tariff for halal certification today, October 17. The ministry’s spokesperson Nufransa Wira Sakti said the bill discussion was still afoot.
“It is in progress. Hopefully, it will be finalized today,” said Nufransa via a short message to Tempo, Thursday, Oct. 17. He added that should the bill could be set today, it would be passed soon.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs, through its Halal Product Certification Agency (BPJPH), will take over the authority to issue halal labels that used to be managed by the Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) starting today.
Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin explained there were significant differences from the authority of the two. So far, the license program led by MUI was voluntary.
“Well now, [the certification] is mandatory because it has been regulated by the Law and carried out by the state through BPJPH,” said Lukman after the MoU signing at Vice Presidential Office, Jakarta, Wednesday, Oct. 16.
However, Lukman asserted that MUI still has the power to determine the halal status of a product and issue fatwa or edict on halal. Also, the determination of auditors who are eligible to issue halal certification is on the hand of MUI.
CAESAR AKBAR | EGI ADYATAMA
