JAKARTA – Vice Minister of Religion Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi highlighted the importance of cross-sectoral synergy to expedite halal certificate services.
The Vice Minister of Religion said between the Halal Product Assurance Body (BPJPH), Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), and Institute Assurance of Food, Drug, and Cosmetics (LPPOM) of MUI needed a synergy as a Halal Inspection Institute (LPH) which already existed in Indonesia.
“There is still a lot of PR [homework] that we need to do. Therefore, I ask for our cooperation, hand in hand. To managing halal which involving a long chain from upstream to downstream.” he said at the National Coordination Meeting, which discussed Services Halal Certification in Jakarta. The Ministry of Religion website, Tuesday (10/12/2019).
He explained that the regulation mandates the cooperation of halal certification services to three actors, namely BPJPH, MUI, and LPPOM-MUI. For this reason, it requires the kindness of each party to synergize. And work together productively, abandon interests of individuals or groups for the sake of the national interest and a much higher community.
In addition to the three main actors, continued Zainut, halal was also related to many stakeholders, such as product supervisors (BPOM), distribution of goods/products from within and outside the country (the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Trade, Custom Duty ), foreign relations, international cooperation with overseas halal institutions (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), to accreditation institutions (KAN, BSN).
“There also business actors consisting of large, medium, small and micro companies under the coordination and guidance of other ministries/institutions, such as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Cooperation, Small and Medium Enterprises, and the Ministry of Trade,” he said.
The potential for halal development in Indonesia is also huge because there are around 63.5 million micro-entrepreneurs in Indonesia. If only half of it becomes the target of halal-certified obligations, there are approximately 30 million business operators who require halal certificates.
And the number of small business actors that reached 783,132 units. Then 60,702 units of medium business operators, and no less than 5,550 units of large business operators who needed and were required to have halal certificates.
“This data is a challenge for all halal certification service providers. The challenges range from the aspects of human resource capacity, halal infrastructure, the number of halal auditors, the availability of halal supervisors, the distribution of LPH, JPH supervisors, to sophisticated information and communication systems to sustain it all, “he said.
Zainut reminded at this time, and many parties were focusing on halal matters, starting from the government, universities, regional governments, religious organizations, to the business world. To ensure halal certification services are optimally prepared, internal consolidation, coordination, and communication across agencies should pursue.
“The mandate of the Law [Law 33/2014 on Halal Products Assurance] must be carried out. Once the screen developed, it will never recede,” he said.
(Sri Mas Sari)
Source: kabar24.bisnis.com
