KUALA LUMPUR – Requesting a review of a proposal on halal certification does not equal disrespect for Islam, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has said, after police confirmed investigations against her.
The DAP lawmaker said her call for the government to review the proposal by the Islam Development Department (Jakim) was done out of duty as an MP.
“I am responsible for voicing the problem and voices of the people of various races. That is why I asked the government to review this proposal.
“My statement does not at all mean that I question halal certification, Jakim’s role, or disrespect Islam,” she said in a statement this evening.
The former plantation industries and commodities minister added she would give her full cooperation to the police.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain earlier confirmed police have started a royalty, religion, and race (3R) investigation against Kok for her press statement about Jakim’s proposal for mandatory halal certification for restaurants and food businesses including those that do not serve pork or alcohol.
Police received five reports against Kok, and are investigating her under Section 298 of the Penal Code, Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998.
Section 298 pertains to wounding the religious feelings of others, while Section 505 pertains to statements conducing to mischief. Section 233 of the CMA is on improper use of network facilities.
Kok, who was also reprimanded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this morning for raising her concerns in public, said she took note of the prime minister’s response but clarified that she had no chance to convey her views privately.
“I would like to clarify that I cannot raise my views through internal channels, because the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) raised this proposal through an open forum without engaging with representatives people first.
“As such, I have no opportunity to convey views through internal channels,” she said, referring to religious affairs minister Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.
Na’im at a press conference during the International Conference on Family Law 2024 on September 5 raised the proposal for mandatory halal certification for food business, including those that do not serve pork and alcohol.
Currently, obtaining halal certification is a business choice as there are no laws requiring food operators to do so.
In her initial response to Na’im, Kok had said making halal certification compulsory could be a potential added burden to businesses, besides impeding consumers’ freedom of choice, besides being “contrary to the spirit of cultural diversity in the country”.
She also said smaller businesses, including “thousands of Malay small restaurant entrepreneurs” would find it burdensome as the requirement would increase their administrative costs.
“Halal certification should be voluntary, allowing entrepreneurs to make decisions based on market demands, rather than being forcefully implemented which will add to the difficulty of business operations,” she said.
Kok today added that she was supportive of the government and Jakim’s efforts to promote halal certification, noting that “the standard used by Jakim in halal certification is among the highest in the world.”
“I have been promoting Malaysian halal certification to foreign countries since I held the post of Exco for Trade Industry and Investment in Selangor back in 2008 till today. In many meetings with business delegations and foreign government agencies, one of the agendas I raised was asking them to get halal certification from Malaysia if they wanted to export any food to Malaysia or to other Muslim countries,” she said.
Meanwhile, the DAP leadership said they believed Kok had not committed any offence with her statement calling for a review of Jakim’s proposal.
In a statement, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said that party leadership agreed Kok had been carrying out her duties and responsibilities as an elected lawmaker by expressing her views on a potential government policy.
DAP’s legal bureau, he added, will accompany Kok, who is a party vice-chairperson, and provide legal advice when she is called to provide her statement to police.
Loke earlier backed Kok while urging people not to politicise her remarks as the cabinet would discuss any proposed policy. – September 8, 2024