20.05.04 Halal Guidelines (Revised Final Draft)
20.05.04 Halal Guidelines (Revised Final Draft)
20.05.04 Halal Guidelines (Revised Final Draft)
Business on Halal
Food Product
Assurance in
Indonesia
May 2020
Disclaimer: The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official
position or opinion of the European Commission.
EU-Indonesia Partnership Facility: EuropeAid/139607/DH/SER/Multi
ID-TI-04 - Information Sharing on Certification Systems for Halal Food - Guidelines for Business
This Guideline explains the Halal product assurance (inspection) and certification processes in
Indonesia and how businesses can obtain certification under the prevailing laws and
regulations, noting that such laws and regulations may be subject to change.
It was prepared by the Indonesian law firm SSEK Legal Consultants (https://www.ssek.com) with
financial support from the EU-Indonesia Partnership Facility, and incorporates perspectives on
‘open issues’ from local business (updated as of May 2020).
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Table of Contents
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Executive Summary
o Indonesia is around 87% Muslim (meaning roughly 230 million of the 270 million total population
follow the Islamic faith).
o Halal is an Arabic word meaning ‘lawful’ or ‘permitted’ and in reference to food, especially animal
products, it is a dietary standard prescribed in Muslim scripture.
o Rising living standards, increased communication and inter-connectivity have led to expanding
local demand for Halal products; part of a growing global market for the Halal food industry.
o The Halal Product Assurance Law No. 33 Year 2014 (UU 33/2014) was passed in October 2014. It
requires all products imported, distributed and sold as Halal in Indonesia to be Halal certified,
and entered into effect 5 years from its original enactment i.e. on October 17, 2019.
o Subsequent regulations including Government Regulation No. 31 Year 2019 (GR 31/2019) and
Ministry of Religious Affairs Regulation No. 26 Year 2019 (MORA Reg 26/2019) set out the
implementing regulations for Halal product assurance and facilitation of the Halal quality regime.
o Prior to October 2019, Halal quality assurance, certification and labelling was overseen by the
Indonesian Ulema Council (known as MUI in its Indonesian abbreviation). MUI appointed Halal
Examination Agencies (or LPH to use the Indonesian abbreviation) including its own Food and
Drug Supervisory Agency (LPPOM MUI) and appointed Halal auditors to assess products requiring
Halal certification. MUI held Fatwa Assemblies to determine whether businesses had satisfied the
criteria to obtain a Halal certification. Halal certificates were issued by the LPH and the MUI mark
used to indicate Halal compliance on product advertising and packaging.
o Under the new regime, the Indonesian government established the Halal Product Guarantee
Agency (or BPJPH) to oversee the entire Halal product assurance system (JPH to use the
Indonesian abbreviation), including the registration of LPH for the inspection and/or testing of
the Halal product quality. BPJPH relies on MUI for the certification of Halal auditors,
determination of Halal product quality, and accreditation of LPH with MUI responsible for holding
Fatwa Assemblies as before.
o According to the aforementioned Law and regulations, Halal certification obligations are to be
implemented progressively. Halal certification will apply first to food and beverages before being
extended to cosmetics, drugs, and other consumer goods, and services related to these goods.
o There is a five-year grace period for the implementation for Halal certification of Halal food and
beverages (that is products sold or marketed as Halal) starting on October 17 2019. In other
words, business owners have a further five years to comply with the Halal certification obligation
for Halal food and beverages, ending October 17 2024.
o Businesses intending to import, distribute or sell products originating from Haram (prohibited or
non-Halal) materials are exempted from this Halal certification obligation, but are obliged to
disclose such information, through appropriate labelling.
o The production, processing, packaging and storage of Halal and non-Halal products must be
strictly separated. The distribution of products may only be combined if it can be guaranteed that
there is no cross contamination as proven by a statement letter from the producer/ distributor.
o The procedures and documentation required to obtain Halal certification are outlined in detail as
part of this Guideline. Inside Indonesia, it should be possible to obtain Halal certification within
approximately 3 months (although only one LPH has so far been accredited (LPPOM MUI) and
most former auditors yet to be re-certified). These processes are ongoing.
o Issues especially affecting overseas businesses include the current absence of accredited foreign
LPH and a lack of clarity or control on fees/processes related to overseas inspection/examination
where this is done by an Indonesian national certified by MUI and working for an Indonesian LPH.
o A glossary of terms is given at the end of the Guideline.
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Open Issues
o Under current Covid-19 conditions, businesses may apply for certification online by e-mail to
BPJPH (email: [email protected]).
o Certain aspects of Law No. 33/2014, GR 31/2019 and MORA Reg 26/2019 require elaboration
in the form of BPJPH implementing regulations. These include decisions on the new halal logo,
specific requirements in terms of halal and non-halal labelling, and accreditation or (mutual)
recognition of foreign inspection and certification bodies.
o For example, specifications for halal and non-halal labels have yet to be determined (in terms
of their size, colour, wording, etc.) with different requirements likely for different types and
categories of product.
o Information is not yet available regarding the fee schedules that apply to inspection and
certification, and it is unclear whether certification will be required per SKU (i.e. product item)
or per production line. Business representatives stress the importance of not charging fees or
requiring certification per SKU on account of the cost. A Ministry of Finance decree is under
preparation to set the relevant fees.
o It is not known at the time of writing when the above processes will be completed (possibly
2020) with BPJPH yet to issue new or replacement certificates under the 17 October 2019
regime. BPJPH has proposed to issue Halal Reference Letters (Surat Keterangan Halal) as a
stop-gap measure.
o In the current draft Omnibus Bill, Micro and Small Businesses still need to apply for halal
certification (but would be fee-exempt).
o BPJPH has accredited LPPOM MUI as a first halal inspection body (LPH). Accreditation of
Sucofindo is completed pending final confirmation/authorisation. There are understood to
have been around 90 LPH under the previous system.
o All aspects of halal production, including packaging and distribution, need to be separated from
non-halal processes and materials. Businesses that use third-party transport providers must
ensure they adhere to halal protocols, i.e. halal inspection should include third-party service
suppliers and distributors used by the business.
o BPJPH has yet to execute MOUs or agreements with overseas foreign halal inspection/
certification bodies (with 46 such agreements under discussion). Where an MOU is executed
and foreign halal certificates recognised by BPJPH, businesses will not need an Indonesian
auditor to travel overseas to undertake a physical inspection. The timeline for completion of
overseas LPH MOUs is not yet known.
o It is understood that halal certification will be required as part of a product’s import
documentation. As part of the import process, Customs officials will check the availability of
halal certification or the declared absence thereof. If a product is not halal certified, companies
will not obtain clearance unless it is properly labelled non-halal. Post-market surveillance will
be conducted and the public encouraged to report non-compliance. A timeline for roll-out has
yet to be determined.
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A. Background
Indonesia’s large Muslim population (of around 230 million) combined with rising living
standards, enhanced communication and connectivity has led to an expanding local market
for the Halal food industry. Halal, an Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted, when made in
reference to food, especially animal products, is a dietary standard prescribed in Muslim
scripture. The term also commonly applies to cosmetics, ingredients, medical devices and
pharmaceutical products. Consumers in predominantly Muslim countries increasingly
gravitate towards products with Halal labels to comply with the teachings of their religion.
As we shall see, businesses intending to import, circulate or sell products that originate from
Haram (prohibited or non-Halal) materials are exempted from this Halal certification
obligation, but are obliged to disclose such information, through appropriate labelling.
This Guideline explains the Halal certification process in Indonesia (as of March 2020) and how
to obtain certification under the prevailing laws and regulations, noting that such laws and
regulations may be subject to change.
The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia requires the State to ensure the
freedom of every citizen to embrace their own religious belief and to worship in
accordance with said religion and belief. Therefore, the State considers it its duty to
offer protection and guarantees on the Halal quality of products consumed or used
by its people. Accordingly, the government issued Law No. 33 Year 2014 regarding
Halal Product Assurance (“Law 33/2014”). The Law was issued to provide
convenience, safety, and certainty on the availability of Halal products for the public.
Law 33/2014 requires all products imported, distributed and sold as Halal within the
Indonesian territory to be Halal certified (“Halal Certification Requirement”).1 The
Law foresaw a specific time period for businesses and relevant State actors to comply
with the Halal Certification Requirement. In particular, it stipulated that the provisions
of the Law will come into effect 5 years after its original enactment.2 This date fell
due on October 17, 2019. Prior to that date, Halal certification was held to be on a
‘voluntary’ basis.
1
Article 4 Law 33/2014. This Article may invite confusion but is understood to apply to Halal products only with
clarification provided under Article 32 of MORA Reg 26/2019 (see below). Non-Halal (Haram) products may
continue to circulate provided they are marked as such with both sets of labelling requirements subject to the
same timeline.
2
Article 67 Law 33/2014
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The Law also mandated the establishment of Halal Product Assurance Implementing
Board (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal or “BPJPH”), under the Ministry
of Religious Affairs. The Law establishes BPJPH under the supervision of the Ministry
of Religious Affairs. It was mandated to start handling Halal certification by the end of
the statutory deadline of October 17 2019. Prior to that, the Indonesian Ulema Council
(Majelis Ulama Indonesia or “MUI”) continued to be responsible for Halal certification
in Indonesia under the legacy (pre-2014 Law) system.
In April 2019, before the statutory deadline to comply with Halal certification based
on Law 33/2014, the Government passed Government Regulation No. 31 Year 2019
(“GR 31/2019”) to provide the implementing regulations for Halal Products Assurance
(the word “assurance” is used in the sense of quality assurance based on inspection
and certification). GR 31/2019 regulates among others:
GR 31/2019 reaffirms that the body responsible to implement JPH is BPJPH, which co-
ordinates with other government ministries (Industry, Trade, Health, Agriculture, as
well as Co-operatives and SMEs, and Foreign Affairs), and non-ministerial government
agencies or non-structural agencies responsible for drugs and food supervision, as
well as MUI.
The Regulation provides that in order to guarantee the organization of JPH, BPJPH is
responsible for supervision of the Lembaga Pemeriksa Halal (LPH) or Halal inspection
agencies as the main conformity assessment/inspection bodies) for Halal products.3
After the issuance of GR 31/2019, the Ministry of Religious Affairs issued Regulation
No. 26 Year 2019 regarding the Facilitation of Halal Product Assurance (“MORA Reg
26/2019”). The Regulation reaffirms the provisions in GR 31/2019, which include
among others:
3
Article 4 GR 31/2019
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The grace period for the implementation for Halal certification for food and beverage
starts from October 17 2019.4 Therefore, business owners have a further five years
to comply with the Halal certification obligation for food and beverages, ending
October 17 2024. The implementation timeline for mandatory certification and
labelling of all products is as follows:5
4
Article 32 of MORA Reg 26/2019
5
Article 33 of MORA Reg 26/2019
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Products not listed above are to be regulated under a future Presidential Regulation.
By the end dates stipulated above, Halal products which are marketed as such
should have already obtained Halal certification. Failure to do so may lead to
administrative sanctions in the form of a written warning or revocation of product
from distribution within Indonesia.6
Until October 17 2024, Halal food and beverages that have not obtained certification
may still enter and be sold within Indonesia as before (assuming they have acquired
the necessary business, distribution and import licenses). Thereafter, they will need
to be marked non-Halal (see below).
Based on recent technical discussions with BPJPH, although BPJPH has started
handling and taking over all Halal certification from MUI, they have not issued any
new Halal certificates since October 17 2019 (report as of March 2020). All
applications received are still being processed. BPJPH insists this has no impact on
businesses looking to invest in the food and beverage industry due to the additional
5-year grace period under MORA Reg 26/2019.
During the period from October 17 2019 until October 17 2024, BPJPH will provide
guidance to business owners pertaining to production of Halal-certified products and
continue to work closely with other stakeholders and the local communities to create
conditions that encourage investment in Indonesia.
B. Halal Certification
Rules governing Halal certification apply to Halal food and beverages imported,
distributed and traded within the territory of Indonesia. Halal certificates are given to
food and beverages originating from Halal materials and which comply with the Halal
Production Process (Proses Produk Halal / “PPH”). The Halal Production Process is a
set of actions taken to ensure the Halal-ness of a product. This includes the supply of
raw materials (slaughtering of the animal), processing, storage, packaging,
distribution, marketing and presentation. Materials used in the Halal Production
Process and subject to certification include raw materials, processed materials,
ingredients and associated materials that are derived from animals, plants, microbes,
or chemical/biological/ genetically modified process.
The location, area, and equipment used for the Halal Production Process must be
separated from the location, area and equipment used for non-Halal products. It must
be kept clean and hygienic, free from uncleanliness (Najis) and non-Halal materials /
ingredients.7
6
Article 197 of MORA Reg 26/2019
7
Article 21 of Law 33/2014
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Slaughter Process
The location, area and equipment used to slaughter an animal used to create a Halal
product must be separated from that used for non-Halal animals. The location must
comply with the following requirements:8
a. physical separation between the Halal animal slaughterhouse and the non-
Halal animal slaughterhouse;
b. bounded by a wall or fence of a minimum 3 (three) meters in height to
prevent people, equipment, and product contamination or movement
between the slaughterhouses;
c. not located in a flood prone area, contaminated with smoke, smell, dust, and
other contaminants;
d. have solid and liquid waste treatment facilities separated from the equivalent
facilities of the non-Halal animal slaughterhouse;
e. the basic construction of the whole building must be able to prevent
contamination; and
f. have separated gates/doors for the entry of animals for slaughter and the exit
of carcasses and meat.
The slaughtering facility must also divide the animal shelter, slaughtering area,
skinning, evisceration / removal of innards, meat aging / withering room, carcass
handling, cooling room and waste treatment facility for Halal and non-Halal animals.9
Slaughtering equipment must be differentiated. The equipment used for the cleaning,
maintenance and storage of Halal animals must be different than that of non-Halal
animals.
Processing
The area and equipment used to process Halal food and beverages must be separated
from those used to process non-Halal food and beverages. The materials used for
storage, weighing, mixing, moulding and cooking must be separated, as must the
equipment used for cleaning, maintenance and storage.10
Storage
In storing Halal products and/or their ingredients, business owners must separate the
storage facilities used for raw materials, the storage used after the processing of these
raw materials and facilities used to store Halal from non-Halal products / ingredients.
The equipment to clean and maintain the storage facility must also be different.11
Packaging
Business owners must also separate the packaging facilities and packaging materials
for Halal and non-Halal products, and not alternately use packing equipment for Halal
8
Article 44-45 of GR 33/2019
9
Article 46 of GR 33/2019
10
Article 48-49 of GR 33/2019
11
Article 50-51 of GR 33/2019
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and non-Halal products. Again, the equipment to clean and maintain the packaging
facility must be differentiated.12
The distribution area for Halal products and non-Halal products must be separate.
This includes transportation from the storage facility to the Halal product distribution
area and equipment used for distribution. The product marketing processes for Halal
and non-Halal products must be separated. The presentation or display of Halal
products must be separate from that of non-Halal products. Equipment for the
cleaning, maintenance and storage of tools used for marketing, distribution and
presentation must likewise be divided.
It stems from this that the distribution, marketing, and presentation of non-Halal fresh
products of animal origin must be separated from the distribution, marketing, and
presentation of Halal fresh products of animal origin. However, the distribution of
processed products may be combined if it can be guaranteed that there will be no
cross contamination and the distribution equipment used for Halal products is
different from that used for non-Halal products, as proven by a statement letter from
the producer / distributor.
2. Non-Halal Products
Non-Halal Products are products derived from non-Halal materials. According to the
prevailing laws and regulations, these include raw materials, processed materials, and
added materials (ingredients) derived from animals, plants, microbes, or chemical/
biological/genetically modified processes.
Non-Halal materials derived from animals are described as: carcass, blood, pig, and
any other animals not slaughtered in accordance with Islamic religious teachings
(Syariat). Non-Halal materials derived from plants are ones that intoxicate or threaten
the health of the consumer. Products deriving from microbes, or chemical/ biological
/ genetically modified processes will be declared non-Halal if they are contaminated
by non-Halal materials.14
a. Animals that have been clearly and explicitly prohibited in the Qur'an or Sunnah
are without doubt Haram, such as a swine, donkey, etc.
12
Article 52-53 of GR 33/2019
13
Article 54-60 of GR 33/2019
14
Article 24 – 25 of MORA 26/2019
15
MUI determines Haram animals based on Islamic Law, i.e. the Quran and the Hadith. The Hadith are recounts
of the Prophet’s life, words, and practice. The prohibitions in each Hadith may differ from one another; the
validity and applicability of each one is determined by highly qualified religious scholars or Ulema. While there
are different schools of thought even among Ulema, MUI follows the Syafi’iyah school of thought, as reflected
in the MUI Fatwa. The list contained here reflects such views, as confirmed by the BPJPH verbally on an informal,
no-names basis.
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c. Bloodless animals such as a hornets, flies, spiders, beetles, scorpions, ants, etc.
e. All types of pests (hasharat al-Ardh), such as mice, hedgehogs, jerboa, etc.
f. All terrestrial predatory animals and beasts, i.e. animals that hunt with their teeth,
such as lions, cheetahs, tigers, leopards, wolves, foxes, dogs, cats, etc.
g. All birds of prey, i.e. those that hunt with their claws/talons, such as a falcons,
eagles, kites, hawks, bats, etc.
Although an animal may be Halal, some parts may not be eaten, such as their flowing
blood, penis, testicles, vulva, glands, urinary bladder and gall bladder.
The label must be marked on the packaging of the product and a specific part of the
product itself. The mark must be written in a different colour than that listing the
ingredients and must be clearly visible and not easily erased, removed or spoiled. The
design of the packaging of the product must not hide the non-Halal label and the label
must take into consideration the protection and rights of vulnerable groups,
specifically the disabled.17 It is understood that the timeline matches that for Halal
products and must also be done before October 17 2024 for food and beverages.
Business owners who fail to label their non-Halal products will be imposed with
administrative sanctions in the form of a verbal warning, then a written warning and
finally an administrative fee, to be implemented successively.18
16
Article 142 of MORA 26/2019 / Article 26 of Law 33/2014
17
Article 144 of MORA 26/2019
18
Article 199 of MORA 26/2019
19
Article 29 of Law 33/2014
20
Article 24 of Law 33/2014
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b. separate the location, place, and equipment for processing, storing, packaging,
distributing, selling, and presenting between Halal and non-Halal products;
c. have a Halal supervisor (Penyelia Halal) (an employee assigned by the company
to ensure the production of goods sold meets Halal standards); and
d. report any change to the material / ingredient of the product to BPJPH.
BPJH
5 Business Days
Must include the following:
• Business owner and company data;
• Product name and type; Application documents are
• List of products and materials used incomplete
• Product processing; and
• Halal guarantee system documents
Registration Application is
Rejected
Applicant fails to complete
the documents
The information of the business must include the Business Identification Number
(Nomor Induk Berusaha / NIB) and the business license.
The business owner must give the exact name and type of the products to be Halal
certified
The business owner must provide a list of the materials and ingredients used to
make the product. These materials must also be Halal-certified, unless they are
an unprocessed natural product categorised as not at risk of containing Haram
materials.
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A detailed description regarding each step of the manufacturing process with the
following details is required:
Management must establish a Halal Management Team which sets clear duties,
responsibilities and authority. The business must have a written procedure for
the training and education of Halal product processing. Internal training must be
held at least once a year and external training must be held at least once every
two years.
Businesses must also commit to ensuring the Halal Production Process is complied
with. Materials used in the manufacture of certified products may not come from
unclean or non-Halal materials. Further, an internal audit procedure must be in
place to ensure the Halal production process is guaranteed and implemented.
After BPJPH receives and examines the application, BPJPH appoints a Halal Inspection
(or Examination) Agency (LPH) to check the Halal status of the product. An
appointment should be made within 5 working days after the application is submitted
and declared complete.
The LPH is the agency appointed by BPJPH to perform the examination / inspection to
assess the Halal-ness of a product. To date, BPJPH has only appointed one LPH,
namely the LPPOM MUI. It is the main Halal Inspection Agency that operated under
the former MUI regime. Businesses do not have any say in which LPH is used.
The LPH appoints an auditor to inspect / examine the product. The examination is
performed on the premises of the business during the production process. If during
the examination, the Halal auditor considers that the product includes a doubtful
material / ingredient, testing in a laboratory may be required. During the examination
process, the business owner must be present to provide information as required to
the Halal auditor.
21
Article 31-32 of Law 33/2014
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for such products is expected to take longer than the process for products
manufactured domestically. According to recent consultations with BPJPH, the
domestic product examination is expected to take approximately 40 days whereas
overseas product examination might take 60 to 90 days.
MUI
• Examination of the validity of Evaluation done in Verification by
documents; and a laboratory BPJPH
• product inspection
Maximum of 2 days
After the examination is conducted, the Halal auditor, submits the results and
evaluation of the Halal status of the product via the LPH to BPJPH. BPJPH submits
these results to MUI. MUI then performs a Halal Fatwa Assembly to determine the
product’s Halal status. That is, there are now five discrete actors (in addition to the
company) in the conformity assessment chain.
The Assembly is required to make a determination on the Halal status of the product
within a maximum 30 working days after MUI receives the examination results from
BPJPH. The determination is stipulated in a Decree of the MUI Halal Fatwa Assembly
(“Decree”) and signed by the head and the secretary of the Fatwa Commission of MUI
and acknowledged by the Chairman of MUI.
The Decree made by MUI is used by BPJPH as the basis for the issuance of the Halal
certification. BPJPH is obliged to issue the Halal Certificate within 7 days after
receiving the Decree from MUI.
22
Article 33-34 of Law 33/2014
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BPJPH officials confirm that in practice, it should take approximately 97 working days,
on average, for a business to obtain Halal certification, starting from the submission
of the application by the business up to the issuance of the Certificate by BPJPH.
Involves:
• expert,
• relevant ministries,
• related institutions, and/or
• related institutions.
BPJPH submits the results to MUI MUI Halal Fatwa Assembly DECREE of the Halal-ness of the
BPJPH review verification documents product signed by the Head and
Secretary of the MUI Fatwa
from BPJPH
Commission and acknowledged by
MUI Chairman
Submitted to BPJPH no later than 30 (thirty) working days after MUI receives the verification result
from BPJPH, which serves as the basis for the issuance of the Halal Certificate
Business submits BPJPH examines the BPJPH appoints LPH Auditors conduct LPH submits the BPJPH verifies and
application to BPJPH application (comprising of 3 Halal examination of the examination results to delivers the result to 3Days
auditors) product BPJPH MUI
7 Days 30 Days
The Halal certification of a product is valid for 4 years from the issuance of the
Certificate by BPJPH, unless there has been a change in the material / ingredients of
the product. Business owners should renew their Halal certification (at the latest)
three months before the end of the Certificate’s validity period.
23
Article 120-121 of MORA 26/3019
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Business owners who wish to renew their Halal certification must submit an
application in writing in the Indonesian language to BPJPH. The application should
include a copy of the previous Halal Certificate and a statement letter affixed with a
duty stamp (Materai) confirming that the product has not been changed or modified
in any way.
Payments for Halal certification are deemed non-tax state revenue, except for the cost
of examination and/or testing of the Halal product, the cost of scientific assessment of
the results of examination and/or testing of the Halal product, and the cost of
conducting a Halal Fatwa session.
The cost of Halal certification must be borne by the business manufacturing and/or
wishing to market the product. However, small to medium enterprises intending to
apply for Halal certification may have their payment facilitated by the central/regional
government (through the State budget), other companies, social institutions, religious
institutions, associations or the community.25
Payment is made to a BPJPH bank account. Based on consultations with BPJPH, fee
schedules have yet to be determined. However, the Head of Registration and Halal
Certification at BPJPH has stated that the amount will vary depending on the product
in question, the type and size of the business and various other factors.
Businesses intending to import Halal products that have received Halal certification
from abroad must register such products with BPJPH before they can be distributed in
Indonesia. This regime applies to products certified by an overseas Halal institution
that has a co-operation agreement / acknowledgment from BPJPH in place.
24
Article 124 of MORA 26/2019
25
Article 127 of MORA 26/2019
26
Article 64-67 of GR 33/2019
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At this point, BPJPH has yet to execute co-operation agreements with any overseas
Halal institutions. Such co-operation is still in under negotiation but should offer an
alternative to overseas inspections / examinations.
a. copy of the foreign Halal Certificate of the relevant product(s) which have
been validated by the ambassador of Indonesia in the relevant country;
b. list of goods to be imported to Indonesia with harmonised system code
numbers; and
c. statement letter which states that the submitted documents are accurate and
valid.
Upon fulfilment of these requirements, the Head of BPJPH may register the
foreign Halal Certificate and businesses which have obtained a registration
number must affix this registration number in close proximity to the Halal label
on the product packaging and/or directly on the product.
In such cases, BPJPH officials confirm that in practice, the time required to obtain
Halal certification should be approximately 107 working days.
C. Post-Certification Matters
Business owners that intend to obtain Halal certification for their products are obliged
to: (i) always provide information that is correct, clear and truthful, (ii) separate the
location, place and equipment for processing, storage, packaging, distribution, sale
and presentation of the Halal products from those of non-Halal products, (iii) have a
Halal supervisor and (iv) report changes to their product or production process to
BPJPH.
a. Supervise the Halal Production Process of the company. They must routinely
supervise and monitor the Halal-ness of the products and equipment used in
every stage of the production process.
27
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c. Co-ordinate the Halal Production Process. This includes determining the policies,
materials and manpower used.
d. Assist the LPH and Halal auditors during their examination of the products. They
must present any required materials, evidence and provide truthful statements
during the examination by the Halal Auditors.
Halal supervisors must be Muslim and have a broad insight and understanding of
Islamic religious teachings pertaining to Halal products. They must also participate in
training and competence examinations to obtain certification as a Halal supervisor.28
Once the business owner has obtained the necessary Halal certification for their
product(s), they are required to do the following:29
a. attach the Halal label on the product that receive Halal certificate;
b. maintain the Halal character and compliance of the product that has obtained a
Halal certificate;
c. separate the location, place and equipment for processing, storing, packaging,
distributing, selling, and presenting between Halal and non-Halal product;
d. renew the Halal Certificate if the validity period of the Halal Certificate has
expired; and
e. report any changes to the material/ingredients of the product to BPJPH.
Business owners who fail to meet these obligations are subject to administrative
sanctions in the form of a verbal warning, written warning or administrative fine(s).
The community is expected to play an important role in Halal Product Assurance (JPH).
This includes socialisation (information sharing) of Halal Product Assurance, and
monitoring Halal products and non-Halal products distributed within the community.
Socialisation can be done through seminars, discussions, lectures, workshops and
mentoring. The community also plays a role in the monitoring of products by
submitting reports or complaints to BPJPH. Individuals in the community may report
to BPJPH regarding perceived violations of the obligations of business owners /
companies pertaining to Halal Product Assurance.
Such reports should include the name and address of the individual, information with
respect to the reported party, a full description of the perceived violation and
supporting facts and evidence of this violation.
BPJPH may reward or otherwise recognise individuals in the community who have
made a significant contribution to the facilitation of JPH. Such awards may be given
to Indonesian citizens, public or private entities, ministries, state agencies,
government or community organisations. The award may be in the form of a grant,
promotion as Halal ambassador and/or funding for activities.
28
Article 78 of MORA 26/2019
29
Article 25 of Law 33/2014
30
Article 145-150 of MORA 26/2019
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BPJPH is responsible for the monitoring and supervision of Halal Product Assurance.
BPJPH monitors Halal Product Assurance / JPH along with the relevant ministries,
agencies, provincial, regional and state government, in accordance with their
respective duties and functions.
In conducting these functions, the JPH Supervisors must carry a letter of assignment
and their identity card.31
4. Sanctions32
a. verbal warnings;
b. written warnings;
c. administrative fines;
d. revocation of the Halal certificate; and/or
e. withdrawal of goods from circulation.
31
Article 75-77 of GR 33/2019
32
Article 196 of MORA 26/2019
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Violation Sanction
Businesses which have exceeded the a. Written warning
deadline for the submission of the
application to obtain Halal certification for b. Withdrawal of goods from
Halal-compulsory products33 circulation
Failure to include Halal labels on products
that have received Halal certificates34
Maintaining the Halal quality of products
that have obtained Halal certificates a. written warning
Prior to the enactment of Law 33/2014, GR 31/2019 and MORA Reg 26/2019, Halal
Certificates were issued by the Indonesian Ulema’s Council or Majelis Ulama
Indonesia, hereinafter abbreviated as MUI, a deliberation forum for Muslim Ulema,
Zuama, and scholars.
MUI
MUI was in charge of determining the Halal status of a product and issuing Halal
certificates based on applications made by businesses. According to the previous
system, businesses intending to obtain Halal certification had first to prepare a Halal
Assurance System and register the required documents with MUI. MUI then
appointed its Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (Lembaga Pengawasan Pangan
Obat dan Makanan Majelis Ulama Indonesia – “LPPOM MUI”) to assess the
documents and decide whether they were sufficient to proceed with inspection. If
the documents were sufficient, LPPOM MUI would appoint an auditor to examine the
production process of the business and determine whether the product needed
laboratory assessment. If it did not, LPPOM MUI would proceed to hold a Fatwa
Assembly. The Assembly would determine whether the business had satisfied the
criteria needed to obtain a Halal certification and issue the Halal Certificate.
33
Article 197 of MORA 26/2019
34
Article 198 of MORA 26/2019
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The new 2014 Law and subsequent regulations task MUI with providing accreditation
to LPH and reviewing the result of the inspection / examination of the Halal quality of
a product by holding a Fatwa assembly to determine the Halal status of the product.
After the LPH submits its inspection and/or testing results to BPJPH, these are verified,
and BPJPH’s verification result reviewed by MUI through a Halal Fatwa Assembly
which includes experts, relevant ministerial elements, relevant agencies, and/or
relevant institutions. The result of the Halal Fatwa Assembly is in the form of a Halal
or non-Halal determination of the product(s) signed by the Secretary of the MUI Fatwa
Commission and noted by Chairman of MUI. The determination or Decree is
submitted to BPJPH and BPJPH uses this as a basis to issue the Halal Certification.
BPJPH
The prevailing laws and regulations provide that the body responsible for the issuance
of Halal certification and the monitoring and supervision of Halal Product Assurance
is the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal),
or BPJPH. Law 33/2014 mandates BPJPH to take over this authority from MUI starting
17 October 2019.
In exercising the above tasks, BPJPH is required to co-ordinate and co-operate with
other government ministries (Industry, Trade, Health, Agriculture, as well as Co-
operatives and SMEs, and Foreign Affairs), and non-ministerial government agencies
or non-structural agencies responsible for food and drug supervision, as well as MUI.35
The table below outlines the co-operation between BPJPH and various sectors of the
government.
35
Article 4 of MORA 26/2019
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In short, BPJPH co-operates with the LPH for the inspection and/or testing of the
Halal quality of products and other duties in relation to the organisation of JPH.
BPJPH co-operates with MUI for the certification of Halal auditors, determination of
Halal quality of the products and accreditation of LPH.
LPH
a. Certificate of right of ownership, building right, usage right, lease agreement, loan
agreement, grants deed, or sale and purchase deed;
b. Statement entailing that they have Halal auditors and such Halal auditors shall
submit a statement of willingness to become a Halal auditor as well as
certification from MUI to become a Halal auditor;
c. Laboratory accreditation certificate from an agency tasked to conduct
governmental duty in the field of accreditation of conformity assessment
institutions or a co-operation agreement an institutions that has an accredited
laboratory;
d. Decree legalising the establishment of a legal entity foundation or an association
of Islamic religious institutions;
e. Quality guidelines which consists of at least:
a. organisational structure;
b. quality policy;
c. impartiality management;
d. resource requirements;
e. process requirements;
f. management system requirements;
36
Article 39 of MORA 26/2019
37
Article 41 of MORA 26/2019
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Based on a recent consultation with BPJPH, to date, it has appointed only one LPH,
namely the LPPOM MUI, which was used in the previous regime by MUI in examining
products for the assessment of Halal certification.
Halal auditors are the persons authorised to inspect the Halal quality of the
product(s). They are appointed by the LPH and registered by BPJPH. Halal auditors
play a key role in the process of obtaining Halal certification. They have the following
duties:38
a. be an Indonesian citizen;
b. be Muslim;
c. possesses at least a bachelor’s degree in food, chemistry, or biochemistry,
industrial engineering, biology, or the pharmacy sector;
d. understand and know about the Halal quality of products based on Islamic
principles;
38
Article 40 of GR 33/2019
39
Article 61 of MORA 26/2019
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e. prioritise the interest of the community before individual and/or group interests;
and
f. have obtained an Auditor Certificate from MUI.
In order to obtain an Auditor Certificate from MUI, the Halal auditor must participate
in training and undergo a competence test. The training is facilitated by BPJPH and
MUI. Having undergone training, the participant may take a competence test. Within
5 days of having passed the competence test, they will be issued with a certificate
entitling them to become a Halal auditor.
A Halal auditor may lose his/her registration as a Halal Auditor if they no longer fulfil
the requirements, fail to extend their Certificate within 6 months of its expiry, are
proven to have violated the code of ethics and a serious code of conduct, or found
guilty of committing a crime punishable by imprisonment for a minimum of 5 years
based on a legally binding court decision.
An LPH may at any time terminate a Halal auditor’s position if she/he commits any of
the above violations or if she/he resigns or passes away.
oooOOOooo
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D. Annex
Unofficial Translation of the Template for Halal Certification Registration Application from BPJPH
(LETTER HEAD)
in Jakarta
Name :
Job/ Position :
Identification Number :
Address :
Contact Number :
Hereby request for the application of Halal Certificate. In order to complete the application as
requested, we hereby attach the following documents:
1. Registration form;
2. Copy of business license;
3. Copy of Halal supervisor appointment letter;
4. Name and types of the Product;
5. List of materials and ingredients used;
6. The detailed production process of the Product in the form of a flow chart;
7. Halal Assurance System (SJH) documents.
All the documents attached are true. If in the future, there are statements / documents found to be
incorrect, we are willing to accept any sanctions arising from such actions.
Thus, this application letter is made as the requirement to obtain the Halal Certificate in recognition
of the Halal status of a product=. Thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
(Company stamp)
(______________)
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E. Glossary
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