LPPOM MUI also contributed to the socialization of the Mandatory Halal October (WHO 2024). This is an effort by BPJPH to implement the JPH Act and its derivatives successfully. The closest stages apply to food and beverage products that expire on October 17, 2024.
The Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia has launched the Mandatory Halal October (WHO) 2024 campaign. This is a form of socialization of the Halal Product Guarantee regulation that has been in effect since 2019. This is in accordance with Act No. 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance (UU JPH) and other derivative regulations. To ensure the successful implementation of the regulation, BPJPH, through its regional offices in 34 provinces and all regencies/cities throughout Indonesia, invites various stakeholders to jointly disseminate WHO 2024.
As is well known, business actors who do not implement these regulations will be subject to administrative sanctions in the form of written warnings, administrative fines, revocation of halal certificates, and/or withdrawal of goods from circulation. This is stated in Government Regulation Number 39 of 2021 Article 149. In terms of determining administrative fines, business actors can be subject to a maximum of IDR 2,000,000,000.00 (two billion rupiah).
The Halal Inspection Body (LPH) of the Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI), through its representative offices in 34 provinces in Indonesia, also contributed to the activity. This is none other than a form of serious support from LPPOM MUI to encourage the implementation of mandatory halal 2024 for food and beverage products. The activities carried out were in the form of joint supervision visits to Slaughterhouses (RPH) surveying slaughter results and socialization of WHO 2024 in traditional markets.
In the period 4-5 May 2024, LPPOM MUI carried out these activities in the provinces of Bengkulu, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and Bangka Belitung (Babel). LPPOM MUI Bengkulu Province, together with the Task Force (Satgas) of the Bengkulu Provincial Ministry of Religion and the Animal Husbandry Service, visited the Padang Serai RPH, Kampung Melayu District, Bengkulu City. LPPOM MUI Bengkulu, together with the Central BPJPH, has also surveyed slaughter results and socialization of WHO 2024 in traditional markets in Bengkulu City.
The same activity was also carried out in NTT. LPPOM MUI NTT Province, together with the Central BPJPH and the NTT Ministry of Religion Halal Task Force, has also inspected the ALDIA RPH. Meanwhile, in Bangka Belitung, LPPOM MUI of Babel Province, along with BPJPH and Halal Task Force Team of Babel Ministry of Religious Affairs Regional Office, visited UPT RPH owned by Pangkalpinang City Government in Air Mawar Village, Bukit Intan District, Pangkalpinang City.
The President Director of LPPOM MUI, Muti Arintawati, emphasized that the current regulations are a shared challenge for all stakeholders in the Indonesian halal industry. Her party admitted that they were ready to face the mandatory halal in October 2017. Of course, this is not without reason. To carry out the function of LPH, LPPOM MUI continues to strengthen all lines of the institution.
LPPOM MUI has representative offices in 34 provinces throughout Indonesia to facilitate the process of checking the halalness of products in all regions of Indonesia, especially for the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. In addition, LPPOM MUI also has a series of competency improvement programs for more than 1,000 auditors spread throughout Indonesia. Various service programs for representative offices in the provinces also continue to be intensified for fast, accurate, and professional services.
In addition, to complete the halal product inspection process, LPPOM MUI has formed a halal laboratory that has various types of tests, ranging from pig DNA tests, water penetration, alcohol content, and so on. LPPOM MUI is also equipped with CEROL-SS23000. With this online system, business actors can access the halal inspection process of their products anytime and anywhere.
“We are very serious about preparing various programs to strengthen LPPOM MUI throughout Indonesia as one entity, so that it is more solid and works in a standardized manner. That way, business actors can get the same service and results. This is a big challenge on how we can maintain the quality of our work and continue to compete,” explained Muti Arintawati. LPPOM MUI has also carried out various programs to encourage the realization of WHO 2024. One of them is the Syawal Festival, which is an annual program of LPPOM MUI focused on facilitating halal certification for micro and small business actors (UMK) as a form of LPPOM MUI’s commitment to continue to support the government in increasing the number of halal product production in Indonesia, which is expected to be able to compete in the global arena. This year, the Syawal Festival 1445 H targets facilitating halal certification for UMK actors in Indonesian tourism areas, this is also an effort to improve the local community’s economy. A number of UMKs throughout Indonesia have received halal certification facilitation through regular channels through cooperation between LPPOM MUI and various institutions, significantly facilitating Halal Certification for UMKs throughout Indonesia, especially in five Super Priority Destinations (DSP), namely Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Borobudur in Central Java, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and Likupang in North Sulawesi, as well as the tourism area of Bangli Regency in Bali. (YN)