COMMENT | Why has the halal certification issue suddenly become a thing of such heated argument?

What perplexes me is the fact that it has turned into something that is seen as controversial and sensitive, with many of those participating in the discourse publicly invoking the 3Rs (race and religion, more specifically).

In a nutshell, it started with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na’im Mokhtar raising a suggestion that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) would like to make it compulsory for restaurants that do not serve pork and alcohol to obtain halal certification.

I would say this is a fair suggestion for a body like Jakim to make.

Then, DAP MP Teresa Kok voiced concerns that this could be...