Johor bahru: A total of 138 Sekolah Agama Kerajaan Johor (SAKJ) canteens are set to receive halal certification by December, as announced by State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid. This initiative aligns with the Johor State Halal Development Plan 2030.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the first phase of this initiative will involve the certification of 50 Grade A and 88 Grade B school canteens. The remaining 437 Grade C canteens are scheduled to be addressed in stages starting next year. This effort is part of the state government’s aim to obtain 500 new halal certificates by the end of the year and ultimately reach 5,000 by 2030.

Mohd Fared emphasized that the initiative seeks to enhance halal compliance standards in schools and increase awareness among canteen operators and food providers in government departments and agencies. Additionally, there are plans to extend the halal certification campaign to the private sector to build a comprehensive halal ecosystem in Johor.

Currently, Johor has 1,200 halal certificate holders, a number expected to rise with the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). He highlighted that halal certification, while a religious obligation for Muslims, is also recognized for its high standards in cleanliness and business integrity, and is supported by many non-Muslim entrepreneurs.

Efforts are underway by the Johor State Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) and the Johor State Islamic Religious Council (MAIJ) to develop a more efficient and user-friendly halal certification application framework. Mohd Fared expressed the need to change public perceptions of halal certification as being time-consuming and costly by creating a more efficient system.

Mohd Fared expressed confidence that Johor would set a national standard for the development of a comprehensive halal ecosystem by 2030 through these streamlined certification processes.