Breaches of MUIS' Halal Certification by Licensed Food Importer

Debated in Parliament on 2 Aug 2023.

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The Minister confirmed that the importer Yocorn Food Enterprise was not a MUIS halal-certified holder, but its director and company were fined $35,000 and $20,000 respectively under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act for falsely labelling smoked duck as halal, though its import licence was not revoked.
MUIS has taken steps to prevent further breaches by instructing its certified food establishments not to purchase from Yocorn, increasing inspections of food outlets serving duck items, and reviewing its certification conditions to impose stricter measures on repeat violators.
Establishments with prior halal certification breaches face more frequent inspections and shorter certification validity upon recertification, while MUIS continues to investigate and enforce actions against reported or identified violations of its halal certification conditions.

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Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs with regard to the prosecution of a licensed food importer for false halal certificates from an overseas halal certification body and false halal labelling (a) whether the importer’s food importing licence has been revoked; (b) whether the importer concerned and the officers prosecuted will be barred from applying for MUIS halal certification in the future; and (c) what are the steps and measures taken to ensure that such breaches are expeditiously detected and reported.

Masagos Zulkifli B M M

The Member is referring to the case of Yocorn Food Enterprise Pte Ltd (Yocorn), which is a licensed food importer, but not a Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) halal-certificate holder. When MUIS detected that Yocorn was selling smoked duck falsely labelled as “halal” to MUIS halal-certified food establishments, MUIS immediately instructed its other halal-certificate holders not to purchase any smoked duck items from Yocorn that were presented as “halal”. MUIS also stepped up its inspections of food establishments that serve duck items to ensure compliance. Yocorn’s licence was not revoked but Yocorn and its director were fined $35,000 and $20,000 respectively under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act for their actions.

MUIS regularly inspects halal-certified food establishments to ensure that their products and offerings are accompanied by valid halal certification from MUIS or MUIS-recognised foreign halal certification bodies. Food establishments that have previously breached the conditions for MUIS’ halal-certification are inspected more frequently by MUIS. Such establishments are also given a shorter validity for their halal certification when they are recertified.

MUIS will take the necessary investigative and enforcement actions if any breaches of its Halal Certification Conditions are identified and reported. MUIS regularly reviews its Halal Certification Conditions, including to tighten measures taken against companies with repeated halal violations.

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The Minister confirmed that the importer Yocorn Food Enterprise was not a MUIS halal-certified holder, but its director and company were fined $35,000 and $20,000 respectively under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act for falsely labelling smoked duck as halal, though its import licence was not revoked.
MUIS has taken steps to prevent further breaches by instructing its certified food establishments not to purchase from Yocorn, increasing inspections of food outlets serving duck items, and reviewing its certification conditions to impose stricter measures on repeat violators.
Establishments with prior halal certification breaches face more frequent inspections and shorter certification validity upon recertification, while MUIS continues to investigate and enforce actions against reported or identified violations of its halal certification conditions.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Breaches of MUIS' Halal Certification by Licensed Food Importer | PAPERCUTS

Breaches of MUIS' Halal Certification by Licensed Food Importer

Debated in Parliament on 2 Aug 2023.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

The Minister confirmed that the importer Yocorn Food Enterprise was not a MUIS halal-certified holder, but its director and company were fined $35,000 and $20,000 respectively under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act for falsely labelling smoked duck as halal, though its import licence was not revoked.
MUIS has taken steps to prevent further breaches by instructing its certified food establishments not to purchase from Yocorn, increasing inspections of food outlets serving duck items, and reviewing its certification conditions to impose stricter measures on repeat violators.
Establishments with prior halal certification breaches face more frequent inspections and shorter certification validity upon recertification, while MUIS continues to investigate and enforce actions against reported or identified violations of its halal certification conditions.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Full Transcript

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim

Masagos Zulkifli B M M

Summary written by AI (learn more)

The Minister confirmed that the importer Yocorn Food Enterprise was not a MUIS halal-certified holder, but its director and company were fined $35,000 and $20,000 respectively under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act for falsely labelling smoked duck as halal, though its import licence was not revoked.
MUIS has taken steps to prevent further breaches by instructing its certified food establishments not to purchase from Yocorn, increasing inspections of food outlets serving duck items, and reviewing its certification conditions to impose stricter measures on repeat violators.
Establishments with prior halal certification breaches face more frequent inspections and shorter certification validity upon recertification, while MUIS continues to investigate and enforce actions against reported or identified violations of its halal certification conditions.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Breaches of MUIS' Halal Certification by Licensed Food Importer

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim

Masagos Zulkifli B M M

Summary

Questions Identified

Breaches of MUIS' Halal Certification by Licensed Food Importer

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim

Masagos Zulkifli B M M

Summary

Questions Identified