Photo: NSTP/Hazreen Mohamad
Malaysian authorities are moving to tighten oversight of poultry slaughterhouses after a raid on an unlicensed facility in Puchong, Selangor, found chickens that had allegedly been killed by electrical water-stunning rather than by Islamic slaughter methods, prompting consumer groups and state officials to call for clearer, more centralised enforcement of halal compliance.
In the early hours of Oct 30, a joint operation codenamed Op Taring Chiller — involving Bukit Aman's Internal Security and Public Order Department, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the Department of Environment and the Petaling District Health Office — raided a warehouse believed to have been slaughtering, processing and distributing chicken without valid halal certification, Bernama reported. Officers seized 468 plastic packages of raw chicken weighing about 6,555kg, valued at an estimated RM85,400, and detained 12 Bangladeshi and Pakistani men believed to have been working at the site.
Bukit Aman Wildlife Crime Control Bureau commander Datuk Mohd Zaki Ashar said preliminary inspections found the birds had been immersed in hot water until they died before being slaughtered, raising serious concerns over compliance with Islamic requirements. The chicken was believed to have been sourced from poultry farms around Sepang and distributed to restaurants, grocery shops and supermarkets across the Klang Valley, he said. The case is being investigated under the Trade Descriptions (Definition of Halal) Order 2011 and the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
JAKIM confirmed the premises was not registered under its halal monitoring system. JAIS director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said on Nov 3 that the department had no record of any halal certification application for the site, and that the Selangor Islamic Religious Council had never issued slaughterer accreditation for operations there. JAIS said information from detained individuals suggested the premises was linked to more than one company, and that it was working with the district and land office to establish actual ownership before releasing further details.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari called for stern action, including prosecution, against those responsible, and for closer cooperation between halal certification bodies and local authorities, the New Straits Times reported.
The case has also prompted consumer groups to question how the facility could have operated undetected. Consumers Association of Kedah president Yusrizal Yusuf proposed centralising halal enforcement under JAKIM, backed by dedicated legislation, arguing that overlapping responsibilities among agencies — including the Veterinary Services Department, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, health authorities, local councils and state Islamic religious departments — made it unclear who was responsible for inspection and enforcement. Consumers' Association of Penang research officer Hatijah Hashim said the authorities involved should be scrutinised over possible lapses in monitoring, and renewed calls for closer oversight of mechanised poultry slaughter.
JAIS has urged restaurant operators, caterers and the Muslim community to source chicken only from suppliers holding valid Malaysia Halal Certification and proper slaughterer accreditation.
