The Halal Hub division of the Islamic Religious Authority of Malaysia (JAKIM) today said they needed more time to ascertain if the findings of Sarawak Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) over the Halal status of Golden Churn butter is to be upheld for all Malaysian states or otherwise.
Golden Churn butter is now haram in Sarawak and Johor but not the rest of Malaysia. Go figure.
According to its acting director Ustazah Hakimah binti Mohd Yusoff, at this moment, they are not refuting their decision nor are in agreement with it. They are merely acknowledging it, but would fall back to their earlier lab findings from the Johor samples, which was found to be negative or void of any pig-based DNA or elements.
“It was the Sarawak religious authorities who said we (JAKIM) confirmed that the Golden Churn butter is haram, we did not say that,” said Ustz. Hakimah. “Yes, we acknowledge their findings, but this does not mean we agree with it or endorse it to be implemented throughout all states in Malaysia.”
Ustz Hakimah added that the confusion over Golden Churn may have risen from the fact that Sarawak was allowed to conduct their own lab testings whereas Jakim relied solely on the facilities and availabilities of Malaysian Chemistry Department.
“The lab facilities are different, so is their method of testing and so on. Also the samples from Sarawak are imported by a different company than that for the peninsula,” she said.
Yesterday JAKIM’s Director General Haji Othman Mustapha explained in a statement that product samples or ingredients were taken in for analysis based on either one of two factors – if there exists reasonable doubt, or if a report was lodged against a particular product or ingredient.
“In executing the testing for pig DNA on a product, several factors are taken into consideration, such as the batch number, packaging used, the premise where the samples were collected and so on. The possibilities of contamination at different levels (of production) must also be considered,” he said in a statement.
“As in the case of Golden Churn, Jakim would like to clarify that both the samples taken in by JAKIM and JAIS are from different batch numbers and packaging materials, as well as from different importers and venue of collections,” he said.
Tn. Haji Othman also added that despite having two opposing views, JAKIM is not refuting the findings in samples collected by JAIS and as such, Muslims in Sarawak are obliged to adhere to the decision made by their state religous authority.
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