Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Job Creation (UU Ciptaker) has amended several provisions in Act No. 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance (UU JPH). Therefore, the Association of Indonesian Halal Inspection Institutions (ALPHI), supported by PT Biocare Sejahtera, held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and workshop with the theme “Synergizing to Strengthen Halal Ecosystem Regulations for Muslim Consumer Protection” which was held on September 21, 2023, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta. The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics Indonesian Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI) was present and supported the holding of this event.
Chairman of ALPHI, Ir. Elvina A. Rahayu, MP, said that this activity was a medium for providing input on implementation rules/technical regulations related to JPH. This is in line with the synergy of the Halal Inspection Body (LPH) to strengthen halal ecosystem regulations to protect Muslim consumers.
“LPH acts as a clerical witness in carrying out the Halal Product Process (PPH) inspection process and halal product raw materials. Therefore, every LPH must have an attitude of integrity, trustworthiness, and competence. This is an urgent matter to deliver accountable halal product guarantee results,” said Elvina.
The implementation of halal certification obligations in Indonesia after the JPH Law and its amendments is carried out using two schemes, namely the regular and self-declare (SD) schemes. Both produce output in the form of a halal certificate. Even so, it is hoped that halal certificates from these different schemes will have the same quality, namely a guarantee of halal products for Muslim consumers.
“In line with the hopes of the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, this FGD can provide solutions to resolve obstacles in the certification process, especially work obstacles felt by LPH, so that they can contribute significantly to government policy to realize 10 million halal certified products in 2023 and mandatory halal in 2024 and Ultimately making Indonesia the halal center of the world,” explained Elvina.
According to the Deputy for Standards Development, National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN), Hendro Kusumo, one of the objectives of standardization and conformity assessment and Halal Product Guarantee is quality assurance, efficiency, production, national competitiveness, and healthy business competition. Consumer protection is also something that cannot be separated from this. “Certainty, smoothness, and efficiency of domestic and foreign goods trade transactions is the next goal,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), Muhammad Aqil Irham, said that for the nearest mandatory stage of halal certification, namely 2024, the required products are food and beverage products. However, this includes upstream sectors such as slaughtered meat to downstream (food and beverage final products).
“There are still around 10 million products left. And this needs to be pushed around a lot so that the target is achieved. In principle, if the business actor has met the standards, we will provide convenience. What will be tightened later is during surveillance,” said Aqil.
Meanwhile, Elvina emphasized that the availability of ingredients or additional ingredients is also a problem. The government’sgovernment’s target can only be achieved if halal ingredients can be obtained. In this case, the government has a significant role, namely providing halal products upstream. “If the upstream area is clean, LPH’sLPH’s work will also be a bit easier,” he said.
The Head of the Halal Industry Empowerment Center (PPIH) of the Ministry of Industry, Mohammad Ari Kurnia Taufik, actually regrets that the government’s efforts seem to be rushing and chasing targets. According to him, the essence of halal should not be reduced at all. To make halal certification easier, you need first to look at what parts and aspects.
In line with that, the Chairman of the MUI for Central MUI Fatwa, K.H. Asrorun Ni’amNi’am Soleh, emphasized that even though his party supports the realization of the government program, his party stated that it was independent of any form of responsibility for the fatwa issued by the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. “It could be that a business is said to be in the micro and small category, so it is allowed to participate in the self-declaration program, even though the product has many critical components,” he explained.
Based on data from the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) as of September 2023, there are 64 LPHs in Indonesia with details: 1 existing LPH with central authority (LPH-LPPOM); 3 Main LPH (Sucofindo, Surveyor Indonesia and LPH KHT Muhammadiyah); as well as 60 LPH with Pratama status. Of the 64 existing LPHs, 42 are government LPHs, and the community established 22 LPHs. However, currently, only 57 LPHs have registered and joined ALPHI.
Present at this FGD giving a speech was the Assistant Deputy for Religious Moderation at The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Thomas Ardian Siregar. Meanwhile, in the FGD, present as moderator was the Director of the Halal Product Industry, National Committee for Sharia Economics and Finance, Afdhal Aliasar. Apart from that, also current to give their opinions were: Deputy for BSN Standards Development, Hendro Kusumo; Head of BPJPH, Muhammad Aqil Irham; Head of PPIH Ministry of Industry, Mohammad Ari Kurnia Taufik; as well as the Chairman of the MUI for the Central MUI Fatwa, K.H. Asrorun Ni’amNi’am Soleh.
