Mokhtar Stork
(Prohibiting decorations in kitchens and outlets that have already obtained halal certification).
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has called on the Melaka Islamic Religious Department (Jaim) to reconsider a directive reportedly prohibiting decorations in kitchens and outlets that have already obtained halal certification. In a reel posted on his official Facebook account, the Merlimau assemblyman said halal status for food and beverages is “100 per cent based on the source of the ingredients and the method of preparation, not on the decoration in the kitchen or at the dining outlet.” The call comes amid controversy over an alleged ban on Christmas decorations in halal-certified hotels and food premises in Melaka. [https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/12/19/halal-vs-holidays-umno-youth-chief-questions-melaka-ban-on-christmas-decor-in-certified-outlets-video/202542]
INTRODUCTION
When it comes to Islam, there always seems to be some confusion over what is and what is not in many parts of the world. Malaysia is no exception. Many, notably politicians, Islamists and even religious officials have difficulty defining situations over Islam.
In the past, Malaysians have faced the issue of “Merry Christmas” which to some Muslims related to ‘booze’. To be honest, as a previous Christian and now a Muslim scholar, I really can’t understand how being ‘merry’ got related to booze! Today, local news highlighted the issue of “prohibiting decorations in kitchens and outlets that have already obtained halal certification in Melaka”.
HALAL CERTIFICATION IN THE EARLY DAYS
Let me offer some insights to the early days of Halal Certification in Selangor. At the time during the 90s, I worked as a Pegawai Muallaf (Converts Officer) at JAIS (Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor). I used to accompany the Mufti, visiting factories seeking Halal Certification, because I could communicate in English.
My respected Mufti upheld Islamic rules firmly. On one occasion, on visiting a factory slaughtering chickens, he politely told the establishment that flowing water was required to make sure the blood from the slaughtered chickens was not stagnant. He also asked about how the Islamic ritual of taking a life of an animal, in this case chickens on a moving line was going to be performed. To cut the story short, due to modernization, to make things easy for business, the Halal Certification process was transferred to a government ministry.
QUR’ANIC VERSES FOR THOUGHT
And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience. And indeed, do the devils inspire their allies [among men] to dispute with you. And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him]. (Surah An’am 6:121).
“Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah , and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Surah Maidah 5:3).
Allow me to add a tinge of humour here. In the 60s, I lived in a PKNS Flat is Section 17, Petaling Jaya. One night, I caught a Muslim stealing oranges from Chinese alters along my corridor. I asked him why was he doing so and that it was haram, and even more so if he ate these oranges because another name, other than Allah had been uttered on them. He replied that he did not eat them but sold them to earn some money. I then asked him, was that halal… you do not eat them but sell them and with the money buy food to eat… is that halal?
ISLAMIC ISSUES OVER HALAL STATUS
During the early days of Halal Certification there were issues about food processing and outlets. These were common with Hindu food outlets, where a small alter existed. This situation no longer exists.
We then had the issue of HALAL vs INGREDIENTS. To understand the HALA PROCESS, there are two aspects. The first deals with the process and the second deals with INGREDIENTS. A good example is HALAL CHEESE. Every processing plant producing cheese, produces various types of cheese. If you produce a batch of cheese that has pork flavour, you cannot use the same equipment to produce halal cheese unless you ‘purify’ the equipment producing the pork cheese. Do they do that?
If you are speaking about ingredients, In August 2025, Singapore Airlines (SIA) issued a formal apology to a Muslim passenger who was served a dish containing pork during a flight from Singapore to New York. The incident centered on a misunderstanding regarding the Italian dry-cured ham, prosciutto. These things do take place from time to time due to ignorance or lack of information. However, many Muslims have hangups over halal food but live comfortably with business corruptions.
HALAL DECORATIONS
Today, we are now embroiled in a new controversy over DECORATIONS and HALAL CERTIFICATION. Forgive me for saying this: Like the scandal over the legitimacy of our soccer players, we seem to never be able to rise to LAWFUL EXPECTATIONS in era that is now moving towards Artificial Intelligence. All you have to do is ask Gemini AI a question on this issue and it will offer you a GLOBAL ULAMA answer. It really reveals how ‘boxed up’ and ‘ignorant’ some people can be over differentiating DECORATIONS from HALAL FOOD? Has anyone asked why a Muslim dresses up like Santa at McDonald's or for that matter elsewhere.
I can understand SENSITIVITY, but for God’s sake or should I say, Allah’s sake, try to be a sensible, worthy servant of Allah and not a political bigot! We are a multiracial nation. We co-exist with one another, and there is a need to contain all forms of anti-racism and even religious extremism.
PERCEPTION ON HALAL FOOD CONSUMPTION
From a Spiritual Perspective, it all depends on your level of IMAN. It is quite alright for a Muslim to inquire whether there is a separate halal kitchen in a hotel. It is also quite alright, in accordance with that person’s state of Iman, to considered food that has no lard to be eatable, not necessarily halal but eatable. How many Muslims travelers in Europe or the US, eat Fish (Filey) Burgers at McDonald's, when the Beef burgers are not halal?
If you visit Indonesia and go out for food, you will be told that you can eat this but not that, and Muslim do eat what they can eat, so long as there is no pork.
If you want to educate people, notable Muslims, please look up the Qur’an; look up Tafsir Qur’an, look up Ahadith… and you will note how FLEXIBLE ISLAM is, and how considerate ALLAH is toward a diabetic patient who can only take PIG INSULIN to stay a live! Please do NOT take on the ROLE of GOD. That is His job. Our job to explain things to enable Muslims to adjust to changing environments and times, but most of all to live as God fearing Muslims, serving Him, only seeking His Pleasure, and not our EGOISTIC IDEALS! [Mokhtar Stork 19 Dec 2025]
