Jakarta (BPJPH) --- The Halal Product Assurance Organizing Body (BPJPH) initiated integrated supervision or surveillance of Halal Product Assurance (JPH). This is intended to ensure the quality of halal certified products, whether products that obtain halal certificates through a regular scheme or through a business actor's statement or self-declare.

"We want an integrated supervisory synergy in monitoring halal products to ensure the halal quality of the product. Whether it is a halal certified product from a regular or self-declared certification scheme." said the Head of BPJPH Muhammad Aqil Irham when he was speaking as a resource person for the FGD and Workshop entitled 'Synergy to Strengthen Halal Ecosystem Regulations for Muslim Consumer Protection' in Jakarta, Thursday (21/9/2023).

"For this reason, in the past few days I have been coordinating with the Ministry of Trade, as well as with the Head of BAPAN, the Head of BPOM, and the Ministry of Agriculture. This needs to be done because BPJPH does not have PPPNS to execute if someone is naughty (violates the regulation)." Aqil explained.

Integrated supervision of JPH, continued Aqil, is important to carry out systematically and continuously. The aim is to ensure that the quality of halal assurance is maintained. Also, ensuring or preventing any violations of Halal Product Assurance regulations in the practice.

Furthermore, Aqil emphasized that the existence of the Self Declare halal certification mechanism for micro and small enterprise (UMK) products does not reduce the quality of halal certificates. This is because self-declare is only implemented for products that have low risk and have a simple production process.

"The conditions for MSE products that are able to carry out self-declared halal certification are that the product is risk-free or uses materials that have been confirmed to be halal. The production process is also guaranteed to be halal and simple." explained Aqil.

Self-declared halal certification is implemented based on Government Regulation (PP) Number 39 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Halal Product Assurance (JPH) and Minister of Religious Affairs Regulation (PMA) Number 20 of 2021 concerning Halal Certification for MSEs.

Aqil also explained that the halal self-declaration certification, which has been implemented since 2021, is a form of convenience provided by the government to MSEs. Self-declare halal certification is also a strategic step for the government to empower MSEs so that their products have halal standards as added value so that their products are able to compete in both domestic and global markets.

"If we look, most of our MSE products are low risk. The ingredients are mostly natural, such as bananas, potatoes, fruit, cassava and so on. The production process is also simple. So such simple products do not need to be tested in a laboratory which is expensive." explained Aqil.

In addition to strengthening supervision, Aqil also said that BPJPH continues to strengthen the ecosystem infrastructure for providing halal certification services. Among other things, by strengthening LPH and LP3H. Also, increasing the competency of Halal Auditor, Halal Product Process Assistants, Halal Supervisors, Halal Slaughterers and so on.

Aqil also appealed to the public to take part in monitoring halal product. Because, the role of the community is guaranteed by Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance.

"If we carry out all these strategic efforts together simultaneously and continuously, then of course this will make the implementation of our halal product assurance even better." Aqil said.

"This is all important to realize Indonesia's dream of becoming the largest global halal hub in the world by 2024." he concluded.

The FGD and Workshop were organized by the Association of Indonesian Halal Inspection Institutions (ALPHI). It was attended by representatives of some Ministries/Institutions, as well as leaders/management of 31 LPHs who are members of ALPHI. The FGD also presents some resource persons, i.e the Deputy for Standard Development at the National Standardization Agency (BSN) Hendro Kusumo, the Assistant Deputy for Religious Moderation at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) Thomas Siregar, the Head of the Center for Halal Industry Empowerment (PPIH) at the Ministry of Industry Mohammad Ari Kurnia Taufik, the Chairman of the MUI Fatwa Committee Asrorun Ni'am Soleh, the Director of the KNEKS Halal Product Commission Afdhal Aliasar, and the Chairman of ALPHI Elvina A Rahayu. []