A Complete Halal Certification Guide For Slaughterhouses In Malaysia
Readers seeking a more general explanation on obtaining and renewing a Halal license in Malaysia may refer to our guide to Halal certification requirements for businesses.
Getting a slaughterhouse in Malaysia Halal certified by the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM) is far from easy but opens up doors to very lucrative opportunities.
To help, our guide consolidates key points from three official JAKIM guides essential for slaughterhouses seeking Halal certification:
- 2020 Halal Certification Procedure
- 2020 Malaysian Halal Management System (MHMS 2020)
- Protocol for Halal Meat & Poultry Production
By the end readers will understand:
- key terms in Halal slaughterhouse certification
- general application requirements for all slaughterhouses
- specific requirements based on category
- fees, timelines, and validity periods
- steps in the application process, and
- post-certification compliance
Let’s begin.
Essential terminology
One of the most important parts of Halal certification is that a slaughterhouse does not need to be Muslim owned, and so we expect many readers of this guide to be non-Muslims.
As JAKIM uses specific Islamic terms to discuss Halal certification, we encourage readers to go through this table first or return to it for more information after reading the sections below.
| Term | Summary |
|---|---|
| Slaughtering (Sembelihan) | The Islamic method of slaughtering a halal animal by a Muslim |
| Slaughterer’s Tauliah (Tauliah Penyembelih) | Certification by the State Islamic Religious Authority allowing a person to perform halal slaughter and act as halal checker |
| Hayah al-mustaqirrah | A state confirming that an animal is still alive at the time of slaughter |
| Malaysian Halal Management System (MHMS) | A company’s internal system designed to ensure continuous compliance with Halal requirements either in the form of a HAS or IHCS |
| Halal Assurance System (HAS) | A comprehensive set of internal procedures used by medium and large operations to maintain Halal integrity across the board |
| Internal Halal Control System (IHCS) | A simplified halal management system required for small operations to maintain Halal assurance |
| Halal Supervisor (Penyelia Halal) | A permanent Muslim Malaysian employee responsible for overall Halal compliance |
| Halal Checker (Pemeriksa Halal) | A qualified Muslim who verifies every stage of the slaughtering process is Halal compliant |
The most important takeaway is that a business owner may be non-Muslim, but it absolutely must employ Malaysian Muslims in certain roles to be eligible for Halal certification.
General application requirements
Any commercial slaughterhouse processing Halal animals intended for human consumption can be eligible for JAKIM’s Slaughterhouse Scheme, including:
- poultry such as chickens, ducks, quails, geese, turkeys, ostriches, and pigeons
- ruminants such as goats, sheep, deer, cattle, buffaloes, and camels
- other Halal animals like rabbits and porcupines
However, before submitting a Halal application, the slaughterhouse must first satisfy the following criteria:
- must have been fully operational for at least three months
- valid business registration under SSM
- valid premise license from Local Authorities
- support letter or certificate from the Department of Veterinary Services (JPV)
- premises handles and produces only Halal products
- facility has dedicated areas for unloading, slaughtering, processing, storage, and waste management
Once the above conditions are met, the business should determine the slaughterhouse category it falls under, as well as the corresponding fees and requirements.
Category-specific fees & requirements
JAKIM categorises slaughter operations into small, medium, and large based on daily processing volume.
| Category | Daily production volume |
|---|---|
| Small |
|
| Medium |
|
| Large |
|
Naturally, operational requirements increase with size of the business, as does the annual certification fee.
Small slaughterhouse
- Annual fee: RM100
- Staff requirements:
- 1 Muslim slaughterer
- 1 Halal checker
- 1 Halal Supervisor
- Operational requirements:
- Internal Halal Control System (IHCS)
Medium slaughterhouse
- Annual fee: RM400
- Staff requirements:
- 2 Muslim slaughterers
- 1 Halal checker
- 1 Halal Executive per branch
- Operational requirements:
- Internal Halal Committee
- Halal Assurance System (HAS)
Large slaughterhouse
- Annual fee: RM700
- Staff requirements:
- 2 Muslim slaughterers
- 1 Halal checker
- 1 Halal Executive per branch
- Operational requirements:
- Internal Halal Committee
- Halal Assurance System (HAS)
Note: The fees above don’t include third party charges, but we’re very reasonable, so get in touch 🙂
Steps in the application process
The SPHM application is done online via JAKIM’s MYeHALAL system.
From end-to-end, the process generally has seven main steps.
| Step | Action Required | Timeline |
| 1. Account Registration | Register an account on MYeHALAL | Usually verified within 24 working hours |
| 2. Online Submission | Submit online Halal application | Ensure form is filled accurately |
| 3. Document Submission | Submit supporting documents | Must submit within five (5) working days of online submission |
| 4. Fee Payment | Receive payment letter from JAKIM and settle processing and certification fees | Must pay within 14 working days of receiving the fee letter |
| 5. Field Audit | The field audit is scheduled and conducted by inspectors, and includes opening meeting, document review, field inspection, report preparation, and closing meeting | Set by JAKIM based on availability, so the premise must be ready at all times |
| 6. Corrective Action (if NCR issued) | If non-compliance found, owner must provide written response of corrections with supporting documents and photos | At officers’ discretion but typically up to 14 working days |
| 7. Final Decision & Issuance | Halal Confirmation Panel makes final decision | If approved Halal certificate is issued within five (5) working days |
Note: It’s critical that slaughterers and Halal checkers possess valid Tauliah Penyembelih certification and that technical requirements of Syariah slaughter are met on the production line during the field audit.
License validity periods
First-time applicants are generally issued a Halal certificate valid for one year, and those who demonstrate strict compliance over the next five years may receive an extended validity of five (5) years the next time they renew their Halal certificate.
On that note, let’s wrap this up with post-certification compliance.
Post-certification compliance
Once certified, the Halal holder is responsible for continuous compliance, and in the case of a slaughterhouse, this means:
- observing minimum staffing requirements
- maintaining daily slaughter records
- implementing and maintaining the appropriate Internal Halal Management System
JAKIM will often conduct both scheduled and unscheduled premise audits to ensure compliance, during which their officers must be given full access to the entire premise, documents, and the right to interview staff and take samples.
Non-compliance penalties
If officers find a premise violates Halal requirements, they may take action depending on severity.
There are three levels of non-conformance, each with increasingly severe penalties.
| Severity | Penalty |
| Minor | A warning or notice to fix issues within 14 days |
| Major | Immediate certificate suspension until corrective actions taken and panel reinstates status |
| Serious | Immediate certificate withdrawal, MYeHALAL account frozen ≥3 months, and related premises affected if business also acts as central kitchen |
If their Halal certificate is suspended or withdrawn, the business is immediately prohibited from using the Halal Malaysia logo or any halal expression or label.
A comprehensive list of examples of offences under each category can be found in Part 7 of JAKIM’s Halal Certification Manual–but the easier thing to do is just stay compliant!
That’s it from us, and we wish you all the best with getting your business Halal-certifed.
Let MISHU help get your business Halal-certified
If you’re interested in pursuing Halal certification for your slaughterhouse, our team can help prepare and submit necessary documents, liaise with the authorities, and guide you through each step of the process. Get in touch!