THE Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) must suspend Australia’s halal certification body, the Supreme Islamic Council of Halal Meat in Australia Inc (SICHMA), until the investigation into the halal integrity issue has been resolved, said a community group today.

Pertubuhan Kemasyarakatan Rakyat (Pekemas) president Faizan Mohd Nor said this was due to weaknesses in the management of the halal certification body.

“We demand the immediate suspension of the halal body SICHMA until a detailed investigation is completed,” he told the media today.

The Australian halal certification issue has been in question after it was revealed that slaughterhouse Thomas Food International (TFI) Lobethal had violated standard operating procedures (SOPs) of its halal certification.

“How many more slaughterhouses in Australia are similarly violating the SOPs?,” Faizan said.

Pekemas claimed that there was misconduct by Jakim’s top staff who conspired in violating the slaughter SOPs and thus, raising doubts about Australian meat’s halal status.

The group revealed several documents and an audio recording that Faizan claimed exposed the mastermind involved in violating the halal SOP.

“Pekemas urges a full investigation against the Jakim senior management who were directly involved with SICHMA and their partners as this involves the integrity of halal and the Malaysian Muslim community,” said Faizan.

Pekemas also revealed several statutory declarations (SDs) from individuals allegedly working at the Australia-based slaughterhouse admitting that there had been a breach of SOP there.

Pekemas’s disclosure regarding the dubious halal integrity was made by an informant known as “Abdullah” in Australia.

Disclosure of video footage showed a breach of the protocol including several sheep soaked to the point of drowning in blood before being slaughtered through an Islamic-compliant method.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad has reportedly said that Jakim had suspended the approval status of the TFI slaughterhouse with immediate effect until the results of a thorough investigation were obtained.

In addition to TFI, there are 15 other slaughterhouses in Australia.

Jakim in a statement on April 14 said the body had sought clarification from SICHMA and found that the slaughterhouse complied with the country’s requirements of halal slaughter standards.

SICHMA also denied allegations that they were unable to supervise and certify the halal status of the slaughterhouses under their supervision. – May 18, 2022.