Malaysia Reaffirms Halal Standards in US Trade Discussions

Malaysia Reaffirms Halal Standards in US Trade Discussions
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Malaysia has reiterated that it will only accept meat and poultry products from the United States that have been certified as halal by US-based bodies recognized by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), AVI News reported. This position, which upholds Malaysia’s halal standards under Syariah law, was confirmed by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, during a recent parliamentary briefing.

The minister clarified that ongoing trade discussions with the US are focused on streamlining the monitoring and verification processes of Jakim-recognized certifiers, not on compromising Malaysia’s halal integrity. He dismissed as “baseless, misleading, and malicious” any claims that Malaysia would automatically accept all US halal certifications.

In addition to halal certification, both countries have agreed to apply regionalization principles for disease control in poultry exports. Future cooperation will also focus on aligning regulations in key industrial sectors, protecting intellectual property, and enhancing collaboration on labor standards, environmental safeguards, and sustainable fisheries management.