TRANSPARENCY, MUSLIM STAFF BOOST CONFIDENCE IN RESTAURANTS, SAY PATRONS

KUALA LUMPUR: Muslim consumers in the city centre have told FMT they are comfortable dining at restaurants which employ Muslim staff and are transparent about the food on offer, even if these establishments do not have halal certification.

Customer service agent Zamri Ahmed said the presence of Muslim staff members at eateries gives him confidence that the food served complies with Islamic precepts.

“What many do not realise is that getting halal certification isn’t straightforward. So long as the food is prepared in accordance with halal practices, it is acceptable to me,” the 26-year-old said.

Likewise, Hanis Suhaimi, 30, said although a halal certificate would allay all his concerns, the sight of Muslims working at the establishment reassures him that the food on offer can be consumed.

“If the restaurant can also show that their food is obtained from halal sources, I would be fine eating there. They should inform customers about this,” he said.

Last week, religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar said the Malaysian Islamic development department (Jakim) was mulling a proposal to make halal certification mandatory for restaurants and food operators that do not serve pork or alcohol.

The announcement immediately raised concerns among the public as to whether food served at non-certified outlets was safe for consumption by Muslim patrons.

Committed to halal standards

Former federal territories mufti Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said the general rule is that all food, especially when prepared by Muslims, is presumed to be halal so long as there is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

“Ultimately, it is whether the customers feel confident after having made their own inquiries,” Mohd Hanif, a halal executive at popular Chinese tea house Dolly Dim Sum, said.

He said his establishment is fully committed to ensuring that all food on offer at its outlets meet halal standards.

“We have set up a halal committee to ensure compliance,” Hanif said, adding that he personally oversees all procurement, food preparation and service.

He said Dolly Dim Sum requires all suppliers to maintain halal certification, and that the eatery itself adheres strictly to all food handling and cleanliness protocols.

“All employees have also completed food handling and halal awareness training, which equips them with a strong understanding of halal and haram,” he said, adding that almost 300 of its 460 employees are of the Muslim faith.

Hanif said Dolly Dim Sum’s central kitchen is certified halal. He said the chain is working towards full certification of all its 13 outlets, with the process already underway and expected to be completed in the next few months.

Meanwhile, office workers Ahmad Syafiq, 32, and Nurul Nabihah, 31, both said they would have no qualms about dining at a restaurant seeking halal certification.

“I am definitely comfortable eating at restaurants which are in the process of getting certified,” Nurul said.

Adhering to halal practices

Hanif acknowledged there are prevailing misconceptions among members of the public, with many assuming the food served at outlets which do not have Jakim’s certification to be non-halal. However, he said, that is quite often not the case.

Siti Ummir, a chef at Dolly Dim Sum’s central kitchen, said her team checks to ensure all raw materials used in food preparation come from halal sources and are properly stored.

They also keep track of expiry dates and maintain a clean kitchen to ensure food prepared is safe to consume and adheres to halal standards.

“As a chef, I believe customers can dine with peace of mind as our central kitchen has already been certified halal,” she said.

One loyal customer, Din Rahim, said he visits Dolly Dim Sum at least once a month, either with his family or for business meetings.

“There aren’t many Chinese food outlets that Muslims can eat at. I feel confident dining here especially because there are many Muslim staff,” he told FMT.

2024-09-15T00:00:40Z dg43tfdfdgfd