MUI Concerned Only One Restaurant Has Halal Certified

By Yose Rizal

Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan (Antaranews) - Chairman of the South Kalimantan Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) H Ahmad Makkie concerned, because only one of the hundreds of restaurants and eating houses which have halal certificate from the fatwa institution.

"I am concerned and annoyed that only one of the hundreds of restaurants in South Kalimantan which is certified halal," he said on the sidelines of Harmony Walk in the Murjani Field, Banjarbaru City, on Saturday.

The restaurant pocketed halal certificate is Parahiyangan restaurant located in Landasan Ulin, Banjarbaru, while Lima Rasa Restaurant was still in the process of certificate.

He explained, the owner or manager of the a large-scale restaurant should have awareness in acquiring halal certificate from MUI, so that consumers do not worry or be afraid to consume food and beverages for doubting its halal status.

According to him , lack of awareness of the owner of the restaurants due to the lack of roles of Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) fostering its members. On the other hand, an Act to regulate the halal certificate does not oblige employers file a certificate but only requesting a voluntary basis.

"Hence, we will mimic Jakarta that requires hotels and restaurants employers to have a halal certificate boosted through governor regulation so that all restaurants and hotels certified kosher," he said.

South Kalimantan's MUI so far had issued hundreds halal certificates but only for small restaurant or eating house, while hundreds of large-scale restaurants do not have certificate. However, this institution recognized has difficulty to serve many of application for certificate of kosher from small-scale restaurant and stalls due to limited auditors.