Demystifying the new halal labeling system was the aim when AmCham Indonesia hosted a meeting between the head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), Prof. Sukoso, and over 30 of the biggest US companies in the food and beverage, agriculture and pharmaceutical sectors.

With Halal Government Regulation (GR 31/2019) signed in April 2019, businesses are nervous over how the new halal system will affect them. In this light, AmCham gave its member companies a chance to have a discussion with Sukoso, on July 11 at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta. 

In the spirit of compliance, companies were eager to know about the phasing implementation of halal for different types of products. Sukoso said for food and beverage products, the grace period of halal certification would be five years. 

For non-food and beverage products (pharmaceuticals, consumer goods), the grace period is still under discussion with the relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health and the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM).

“The phasing implementation will be regulated in the upcoming Ministerial Regulation,” Sukoso said. “Note that if you are ready to apply for halal certification, please do it right away rather than waiting for the grace period.”

He also said the Ministerial Regulation would be finished at the end of July, and that the new halal system is 80 percent ready and will be functioning in October this year. Until then, halal certification is still under the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

Representatives from the US, Danish and Turkish embassies also attended the meeting. Their main concern was regarding government-to-government cooperation. Sukoso emphasized that for foreign halal certification bodies to be recognized by BPJPH, the respective governments should have G2G cooperation with BPJPH. 

“BPJPH is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in establishing G2G cooperation,” he said. “If any problem occurs with the export product from a country, the government can be held accountable and we can directly communicate with them because G2G cooperation has been established.”

The issue of G2G certification remains unresolved since some countries, like the US, do not have government certification of halal bodies. 

Closing the meeting, Sukoso stressed that he is approachable if anyone wants to give constructive input on the implementation of halal labeling.

“What is halal is clear, what is haram is clear,” he said. “The grey area between them is caused by the involvement of technology in the processing. This is why we need halal certification; to guarantee the halalness of products in the grey area.”