TUMPAT: All parties involved in the poultry supply chain must comply with Islamic requirements, says Dr Zulkifli Hasan (pic).
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) issued the reminder following the seizure of more than 6.5 tonnes of chicken suspected of being slaughtered in breach of syariah requirements during a raid in Puchong yesterday.
He said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) took part in Ops Taring Chiller alongside the Selangor Islamic Religious Department, the police’s Wildlife Crime Bureau/Special Intelligence Investigation Unit, the Department of Environment and the Petaling District Health Office.
He said the raid found that the premises were suspected of being used to slaughter, process and distribute fresh chicken while the company did not possess Malaysian Halal Certification.
“Any party found to have violated the law will face action in accordance with the regulations and laws currently in force.
“The authorities will undertake a thorough investigation into the activity and ensure that matters concerning welfare and religious compliance are properly addressed,” he told Bernama after launching the Organic Chicken Farming Project in Teluk Renjuna here yesterday.
Apart from the seizure, 12 Bangladeshi and Pakistani men suspected of being involved in slaughtering and processing activities at the premises were also arrested.
Yesterday, Selangor Islamic Religious Council chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin said preliminary inspections found that electrical voltage used to stun the chickens was believed to be too high, causing the chickens to die instantly before undergoing slaughter in accordance with Islamic law.
On the organic chicken farming project in Teluk Renjuna, Zulkifli said it would help diversify the income of fishing communities, particularly during the northeast monsoon when rough seas make fishing difficult.
The initiative by the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (Yapeim) enabled fishermen to venture into entrepreneurship and earn additional income during periods of reduced fish catches.
He added that the project, involving 22 local participants, received RM150,000 in funding from Yapeim, which also provided guidance on entrepreneurship and management.
“More than 2,000 chickens have been sold so far, with strong demand helping to increase participants’ income,” he said.
