The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI) held virtual gathering with the media through video conference platform on June, 29 2020. The gathering aimed to strengthen the relationship between the two.
The virtual meeting, which was attended by the Board of Directors of LPPOM MUI and 33 media crews, became a place for LPPOM MUI and the media to share information regarding the latest halal issues. Indonesia’s potential as the center of halal world was one of the issues discussed at the meeting.
The director of LPPOM MUI Dr. Ir. Lukmanul Hakim, M.Si. said that Indonesian halal standards have been recognized by countries in the world. This is an advantage possessed by Indonesia to become the world’s halal center.
“Unfortunately, Indonesia’s halal industry is still very weak so that an anomaly occurs. Since in the aspect of the global market, Indonesia, with the largest Muslim consumer population in the world, has even become one of the countries with the largest imports of halal products in the world,” said Lukmanul.
In this case, according to The Deputy Director Ir. Sumunar Jati, President Joko Widodo through the National Sharia Economics and Finance Committee (KNEKS) has launched a map of the Sharia Economy.
“This is a good sign for the acceleration of the halal industry in Indonesia. There is a need for regulations that encourage the industrialization of halal products in Indonesia, one of which is the legalization of the Minister’s regulation on the halal industry,” he said.
Sumunar added that another thing that Indonesia could also do to increase the acceleration of the domestic halal industry was to use halal as a competitive advantage owned by Indonesia. Tourism and fashion can be a first step to enter the global halal industry because it currently has a fairly good positioning in the international market.
Now, the halal issue in Indonesia is increasingly strengthened by the existence of The Halal Product Assurance Act (JPH Act). Improved law enforcement with the enactment of the JPH Act is expected to assist and maximize the halal implementation in Indonesia.
“Because of the JPH Act, the stakeholders, academics and media are increasingly active in educating halal to the public. The MUI principle for halal products is a legal decision from ulama, which is decided by Islamic legal edict, so it is not in accordance with the principle of self-declare, “said Deputy Director Ir. Muti Arintawati, M.Si. (YN)
