Various parties in the Indonesian ministries are implementing the first halal certification phase, which ends in 2024. The agencies are making socialization efforts so that all business actors have halal-certified MSME products before the first stages of certification obligations end in 2024.
Halal Certification for MSME Products
The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenko PMK) held an MSME Halal Certification Outreach event on 15 February 2023.
Several expert figures at the Kemenko PMK conveyed several important matters regarding halal certification for products circulating in Indonesia during the event.
The practice of applying for halal certification is listed in UU No. 33 Tahun 2014 to UU No. 39 Tahun 2021. It states that the implementation of halal certification by the government is specifically carried out by the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH).
The Importance of Halal Certification
Here are some reasons why this halal certification is important:
- As one of the efforts so that MSME products can reach more people, both locally and internationally
- As a guarantee and assurance to customers regarding cleanliness, health, and halal products they want to consume.
- As a form of government effort in the framework of facilitating the community, especially Muslims, in implementing Islamic sharia.
Halal Certification Criteria & Process in Indonesia
Meanwhile, there are several aspects to consider a product classified as halal, namely:
- Product ingredients
- Production commitment and responsibility
- Halal product process
- The product itself
- Monitoring and evaluation pass
Meanwhile, the preparation process for halal certification includes two parts:
- The first one is the preparation of regular or self-declaring halal certification documents.
- And the second part is implementing the products’ halal assurance system.
Certification documents that need to be prepared include application letters, business legal aspects, registration forms, etc.
Obstacles and Solutions to Halal Certification
In accordance with UU No. 4 Tahun 2013, all products circulating in Indonesia must have a halal certificate. Unfortunately, some medium enterprises still have problems obtaining halal certification. One of them is due to the cost factor.
Because of that, the government then issued UU No. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation (Ciptaker). MSME actors can apply for halal certification with a self-declared statement free of charge.
The registration fee and determination of product halalness with a value of around 230,000 IDR will be borne by the state budget/local government budget (APBN/APBD) and facilities of state/private institutions.
In addition, the public can also use the PUSAKA application to apply for and obtain halal certification for their products. They only need to complete an online form and upload documents to this Ministry of Religion application.
West Papua is Expected to Have 1,000 Halal-certified MSME Products
The enthusiasm to socialize halal certification in West Papua is also evident in the Ministry of Religion’s regional office (Kanwil), West Papua province.
According to the Community Development Division head, Aziz Hegemur, his party has made various outreach efforts. Examples include distributing brochures to culinary business owners, counseling MSME actors, etc.
Hegemur added that his party targets around 1,000 products from around 30 MSMEs in Sorong to have halal certificates. Meanwhile, around 150 MSMEs in West Papua are targeted to take the halal certification.
The Sorong Ministry of Religion will work with the MUI (Indonesian Ulema Council) and BPOM (The National Agency of Drug and Food Control) to assist in the halal certification process for MSMEs in West Papua.
In addition, he also said that per UU No. 33 Tahun 2014, business owners whose products do not have halal certificates will receive sanctions. Therefore, he appealed to the business to already have halal-certified MSME products before October 2024.
