Halal, pork-free and we, the consumers

The past week or so, a WhatsApp group I was added to was buzzing about the halal status of a known restaurant in the city. A diner had posted on his Facebook wall a reply to an email he had sent to an executive of the said restaurant regarding the halal status of the eatery. The executive said the restaurant was not a “certified Jakim entity” and that it was not its discretion to validate the halal status of its suppliers. 
We all know what halal stands for. It means “permissible” or “lawful” in Arabic, and provides assurance that the food does not contain ingredients that Muslims are forbidden to consume, such as alcohol, pork, and meat from cattle and poultry that were not slaughtered according to Islamic protocols. 
Some friends and I were aware that the particular restaurant did not have the halal certification and would never get one from Jakim, the department in charge of Islamic development in the country. This is not because of the meat used, but because it has liquor on its drinks menu. We know that restaurants that serve liquor cannot qualify for the halal status. Only the kitchens of such restaurants, especially those in hotels, can be given the halal status, provided that they do not use alcohol, pork, and meat from cattle and poultry that have not been slaughtered in the Islamic way. 
This is not the first, nor will it be the last, restaurant whose halal status is questioned. Time and again, the halal status of food and beverage establishments will crop up on social media, throwing Muslims into a frenzy. There are many food outlets out there, and, as Muslims, it is our duty to find out the halal status of any eatery before we venture into it. 
Through social media, we get to read shared statuses on what’s halal and what’s not. There are many who share so-called “information” blindly without verifying the facts, further contributing to rounds of mistruth and misinformation, thus, confusing consumers. 
I have noticed that while we are quick to share unverified statuses, we close one eye to statuses that verify such claims. The halal status of a certain coffee outlet, for example, has been making the rounds for years after it first got on social media. Friends and family members were warned that the chocolate, vanilla and coffee drinks at the outlet contained elements of animal origin and/or alcohol. 
In the shared posts I have received, no one had actually verified the claim with Jakim, even though the phone number of the department was attached to the posts. No one did a search on the department’s website. My guess is that it is easier to click the “share” button and get someone else to do the follow-up. 
Of course, the department needs to be straightforward in its reply so that Muslims are not left even more confused. I remember clearly five years back, when Muslim housewives were alarmed over the halal status of a type of butter favoured for baking cakes and cookies. 
Conflicting statements were issued by the department and state religious authority. Added to the confusion were statements from the foreign manufacturer, who provided proof of the halal certification from three Islamic bodies other than Malaysia. At the end of it, consumers who doubted the status of the product left it out of their shopping list. 
And now, the latest brouhaha is over the “pork-free” signage posted at the entrance of some restaurants. It actually caught the attention of the authorities, with one state religious department issuing a restriction order on food outlets in the state not to use the term “pork-free” or “no pork” at their premises. It said the signage would confuse the public. Really? 
In my mind, there is nothing confusing about the signage. It simply means that the particular food outlet does not use pork or pork-related products in its dishes. It does not in any way indicate that the eatery is halal. I believe most diners know this. So, I see no reason why action should be taken against food outlets with the “pork-free” labelling, as suggested by a deputy minister. 
But, I agree with him that the public, especially Muslims, should be educated not so much on how to distinguish between a halal logo and “pork-free” labelling, but on where to source for information on halal food and premises. The authorities in charge should seriously look at how to effectively disseminate information to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. 
They should use social media networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, to promote Jakim’s directory of premises with the halal certification at the Halal Malaysia official portal and MyJakim mobile app. 
The information is at our fingertips. Just tell us where we can find it.

Have stricter controls at entry points

Two weekends ago, my niece, nephew and I went cafe-hopping in Bangi. There are many cafes at Section 9 of Bandar Baru Bangi, catering to customers of the many retail stores there, mostly belonging to online businesses. These cafes are making good money as the retail store traffic there is unbelievably high, especially during weekends. And, when there is such volume, you will inevitably find those seeking donations for one cause or another. 
We were seated in a cafe and ordering our drinks when we saw a foreign-looking man entering and going from one table to the other seeking donations. He would have approached our table but we were busy placing our orders with the waiter. 
A short while later, another man entered the cafe. He came to our table, gave the salam and showed us a folder containing some papers on a madrasah in Pakistan. 
For the past few years, I have made it a habit to ask for some form of documentation to show that whoever is seeking a donation is authorised to do so. Without one, I would be very reluctant to give anything as I fear the money will be misused. 
I asked the man for his passport, which he willingly gave. As I flipped the pages, my attention was drawn to a white form clipped onto his passport from our Immigration Department. 
It stated that he is given permission to enter Peninsular Malaysia for a month, from Jan 9, 2016, to gather the necessary documents to facilitate his journey home. My nephew captured the photo of the man on his mobile phone. We noticed he was sweating profusely as I went through his passport. “You are not in this country to collect money. What you are doing is against the law. It is illegal,” I told him. 
I don’t know whether he understood me. I returned the passport to him, he gave the salam and exited the cafe without approaching any other diners. Hardly 10 minutes later, a third man walked into the cafe. He was also carrying a folder. Before he managed to say anything, I showed him the photo of the earlier man. “Is this your friend?” I asked him. We saw how he went pale all of a sudden. He gave a weak smile. “How many of you are here?” I asked him. He raised his hand slightly, gesturing the salam, and left without saying anything. 
I was told that these men operate in groups, going from one cafe to another, mostly seeking donations from Malaysians, most of whom have no qualms about giving to charity. I should have asked the other man for his passport to see whether the same white form from the Immigration Department is also clipped in it. 
It baffles me that they are allowed into the country only to gather the necessary documents for them to go home. What else do they need besides their passports? Once they enter the country, they are left to their own devices; thus, they can undertake activities which are against the permits of entry into this country, such as canvassing for money disguised as donations for charities. 
So, what happens when the one-month period is up? They can actually disappear from the system and assimilate themselves among the locals. 
There is a need to have stricter controls at entry points, especially since we have added on more countries whose citizens can travel to Malaysia visa-free. Even then, I was told a visa doesn’t guarantee entry into a country. It actually allows you to travel to the port of entry, airport or land border crossing. 
In my years of travelling abroad, I have seen travellers who were asked to step aside at border controls for further checks. 
In the United States and United Kingdom, for example, travellers are asked a host of questions before their passports are stamped. We experienced it ourselves when we travelled to the UK for the Christmas/New Year holidays a year ago. My nephew was questioned by an Immigration officer at Heathrow Airport when she found out he was underage and not travelling with either of his parents. And, we didn’t have any documentation from his parents allowing him to travel without them.
 He was asked, among other things, where his parents were and who I was. I had to show proof of stay in the UK and our return tickets. I was told by the Immigration officer that they had to ask the questions and for the documentation because they were concerned with child trafficking. 
We weren’t annoyed with the UK border control authorities for questioning us. In fact, we welcomed it as it showed how serious they are in executing their duties. 
Now, I have travelled with my niece and nephew without their parents before here, but we have never been stopped for questioning at land border crossings. Those manning entry points must be extra cautious in carrying out their responsibilities, especially now, more than ever. 
The slightest doubt should trigger an alert. There may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing standing before them.​