Two women look at products at a cosmetic promotion
© AFP/File Jimin LaiKUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - The Director-General of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), Mustafa Abdul Rahman, said authorities would issue certificates and logos to cosmetic and toiletry products deemed halal, or allowed under Islam.
"JAKIM is in the process of building up standards in cosmetic and toiletries," Mustafa told AFP. "This is to give guidelines to the companies if they want to have the halal certification.
"They have to follow the standard otherwise we will not issue the halal certificates for them," he said.
Like their conventional counterparts, halal cosmetics can contain animal-derived ingredients, but these have to be prepared according to Islamic codes dictating procedures for killing and preparing animals.
Malaysia has banned meat imports that do not conform to Islamic laws of slaughtering and preparation, but Mustafa said religious authorities would not apply the same rules to cosmetics.
"There is no law that prohibits the entering of all these cosmetics. Only meat and meat products if they are entering the country must first be halal," he said.
Mustafa also denied a report on Friday that said authorities would ban imports of cosmetics that do not have halal certificates.
"It's wrong. I didn't say that JAKIM will not allow the cosmetics without the halal logo to enter the country," he said.
Malaysia is currently hosting an international trade fair on halal products and is positioning itself as a world leader in halal certification to meet the demands of Muslim consumers worldwide.
Halal certification for products is also increasingly sought after by manufacturers in a bid to tap into a lucrative Muslim consumer market.
Malaysian officials have estimated the global trade in halal food is worth 580 billion dollars annually and could potentially hit one trillion dollars.
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