External News

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — Halal-certified bakeries are not prohibited from taking orders meant for non-Islamic religious celebration provided that the products are not displayed in the premises, minister Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad clarified today.

Responding to a report over a shop that allegedly refused a customer’s order to have a cake decorated with the wish “Merry Christmas”, the minister in charge of religious affairs said such a message is allowed contrary to the report — provided that it is not for display.

“Any festive wishes is allowed on a product if it is produced not to be displayed on the premise that has been certified halal or on a product with the halal logo,” Zulkifli wrote on his Twitter account.

“There are no specific prohibitions for other religious celebrations other than Islam in the Manual Procedure for Halal Certification (Domestic) 2020.”

“To put it simply if shop B with a Jakim halal certificate bakes a cake with a religious celebration wish for display then it is not allowed, but if shop B had prepared the cake that was ordered by A that has a religious celebration wish it is permitted,” he added.

MalaysiaNow reported that a customer was shocked when he received a cake with “Happy Holidays” when he had requested that it be decorated with the wish “Merry Christmas.”

The report said the store had refused so since in the process of getting a halal certificate, and then quoted an anonymous officer with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) claiming that the halal logo issued by the Halal Management System cannot be used to promote other religions.

Jakim, the federal Islamic affairs department, is the sole authority for all matters related to halal certification.

Zulkifli said Jakim representatives have contacted the MalaysiaNow journalist to explain.

He expressed hope that his explanation would end the controversy. In his concluding tweet, he wished Christians peace and good health.

“I hope my explanation can diffuse any misunderstanding,” he wrote.

“I hope followers of the Christian faith in Malaysia are blessed with peace, good health, happiness and prosperity in the years to come,” he said.

SHAH ALAM: The body of a woman with stab wounds on the left side of her neck was found in a three-storey shop on Jalan Sri Sarawak 18, Taman Sri Andalas, Klang today.

South Klang district police chief Shamsul Amar Ramli said police received a call about the discovery of the body of an Indonesian woman from a local woman around 2.05 pm today.

“The victim’s body was half-naked, with only a t-shirt. The victim was in her early 20s.

“She was found sprawled, covered in blood in a room on the first floor of the shop,” he said in a statement.

Shamsul said police were looking for a suspect in the case.

PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim tonight lauded the police’s decision to reschedule the questioning of Lim Guan Eng, saying it will help address negative perceptions of the men in blue.

The PKR president also said Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador’s apology to Lim for the oversight was also reflective of a police leadership “which is sensitive to the opinions and concerns of the public”.

Anwar said the decision to summon the DAP secretary-general on Christmas Eve had raised concerns from all quarters, including MPs on both sides of the divide.

“The Royal Malaysian Police risked being perceived as being politically biased and vindictive.

“However, the IGP’s decision to move Lim’s questioning by police to next year has helped to an extent in addressing these negative perceptions,” he said in a statement.

Anwar went on to say that no one was asking for Lim to be accorded special treatment, but only for the rule of law to be applied fairly.

“There is really no conceivable reason to drag him away for hours of questioning on Christmas eve – a festival he observes,” he said, adding that much needed to be done to restore the public’s trust in enforcement authorities.

Yesterday, Lim revealed that police were currently investigating him over two press releases he made in 2019, when he was still finance minister.

He labelled his scheduled meet with police on Dec 24 as a “Christmas gift from the PN government” and claimed the decision to question him was the “latest act of political persecution by Perikatan Nasional”.

This also led to former prime minister Najib Razak criticising the police over their decision, saying it would only allow the opposition to “instigate” the people.

Earlier today, Najib said the decision to postpone the questioning was the right move.

KUANTAN, Dec 23 — The federal government has agreed to write off the Pahang state government’s debt of RM2.1 billion through the water services industry restructuring agreement, said Minister of Environment and Water (Kasa), Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

He said it involved rural area water supply debt amounting to RM1 billion while the balance would be transferred by novation to Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB).

PAAB would build water assets in Pahang before leasing these to Pengurusan Air Pahang Berhad (PAIP), he added.

According to Tuan Ibrahim, the loan payment would be restructured for a period of 45 years at a competitive rate of three per cent for the existing assets and 4.5 per cent for new assets.

“PAIP will be given a moratorium on the lease payment for five years to help it build a strong financial base. This agreement also enables the people of Pahang to receive better water supply services, besides cutting losses due to loss of treated water.”

Tuan Ibrahim said this at a press conference after witnessing the signing of an agreement between Kasa secretary-general, Datuk Seri Ir Dr Zaini Ujang; Pahang state secretary, Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak; PAAB chief executive officer, (CEO) Abdul Hadi Ali and PAIP CEO, Saiful Zaini Mohd Bahari, here, today.

Also present was Pahang Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

Tuan Ibrahim said Pahang was the eighth state to sign the agreement following seven years of negotiation that started in 2013, with Kedah and Perlis expected to follow suit in January.

Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy said the long negotiation period was to enable improvements to be made to several matters in the agreement as requested by the state government.

He said the agreement would enable the people in Pahang to enjoy more efficient and better treated water supply services in the future with the improvements to be made in stages.

Wan Rosdy said the 45-year period meant that the state government would not have to worry about coming up with a huge allocation to cover the maintenance costs of water assets as this would be under PAAB’s jurisdiction and hence, the money could be used to develop the state and improve the well-being of the people. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 23 — The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) is investigating a local company believed to have been involved in the meat cartel scandal under two trade description offences.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the company was being investigated under Paragraph 8 of the Trade Description (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011 and Section 5 of the Trade Description Act 2011.

“We are also working with other ministries and agencies that are investigating this case too.

“KPDNHEP is focusing on the misuse of trademark or business logo,” he told the media after launching the Back to School Sales Programme, here, today.

The media had previously reported on the cartel which smuggled frozen meat from China, Ukraine, Brazil and Argentina before repackaging the meat using the halal logo at a warehouse in Senai, Johor.

On the Back to School Sales Programme, Nanta said the objective was to help consumers, especially parents, to get their children’s schooling needs at promotional and affordable prices.

“Through this Back to School campaign, all supermarkets and manufacturing companies that sell school supplies such as uniforms, books and stationery are encouraged to offer special discounts through cheap sales or discount campaigns.

“For that, KPDNHEP has also simplified the process of application for cheap sales for traders.

“Traders only need to submit cheap sale notices online through the My Sales Tracker application, and within 24 hours after the application is submitted, the traders can already conduct cheap sales,” he said. — Bernama

PETALING JAYA: The Sarawak PKR leadership council has unanimously rejected Larry Sng’s decision to step down as the chairman of the state chapter.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting, the council also gave its full backing to the Julau MP to carry on as the Sarawak PKR chief until the next party polls.

“We would like to urge members in Sarawak to remain calm and give their undivided support to all leaders.”

The statement was issued by Sarawak PKR information chief Abun Sui Anyit.

Yesterday, Sng confirmed his resignation to FMT, saying it was in the best interest of the party to be led by a Dayak leader going into the 12th Sarawak state election.

He had earlier, in a Facebook post, written that Dayaks were the majority in Sarawak yet their areas were the poorest and most under-developed.

Sng had then denied that his decision to quit came after seat allocation disputes among the Pakatan Harapan parties in the state.

He also said he would meet party president Anwar Ibrahim soon on his next move – whether or not to quit the party.

Sng was appointed party chairman in March to replace Selangau MP Baru Bian who quit the party during the “Sheraton Move”.

LONDON: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the Manchester United players are desperate to “learn how to win” and lift a trophy this season after three semifinal appearances last term.

The 47-year-old Norwegian takes United to another in-form side Everton on Wednesday for a League Cup quarterfinal clash.

United go to Everton on the back of six Premier League wins in seven games following Sunday’s 6-2 thumping of Leeds.

However, whilst their recent run has led to the abating of cries for Solskjaer to be replaced he knows that guiding the team to trophy success is crucial in their development.

“Yes, of course it’s (winning a trophy) something we’re aiming for,” said Solskjaer at his eve of match press conference.

“We want to improve every season and to improve on last year is to get to the final and, of course, when you get to the final there’s only one thing that matters and that’s to lift the trophy.”

Solskjaer, who said Mason Greenwood is in line for a return to first team action, recalled how transformational getting his hands on a trophy was as a player.

“I remember myself winning my first trophy (1997 Premier League title),” he said.

“Even towards the end of my career, I think it was Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic’s first trophy in the League Cup, 2006 was it?

“I think that was their first trophy and it does give something to a team.

“We are desperate to get our hands on a trophy, these players are desperate to learn how to win.”

Aside from Greenwood’s return Solskjaer said England international Jesse Lingard was also in the squad.

The 28-year-old has played just twice for United all season, both appearances in the League Cup.

“He’s been working hard in training,” said Solskjaer.

“He’s been unfortunate with having to isolate a few times, been in contact, or close contact with Covid, not even having it himself.

“He’s been very unlucky being away from the training ground a few times. He works really hard and he’ll be involved in the squad, definitely, on Wednesday.”