THE Department of Standards Malaysia, an agency under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, had developed the Malaysian standard for the production, preparation, handling and storage of halal food, listed under MS 1500:2009.
It aims to promote this standard internationally and to be recognised by other countries and regions, such as China, the United States, Europe and Asean.
However, such promotions will have to start in our country, as the cleanliness and freshness of cooked food leaves much to be desired.
The storage and handling of food in eateries are not up to par, particularly of food not cooked to order, including those kept for long hours in 24-hour restaurants or served by outdoor caterers.
More eateries should be upgraded, certified halal and display the logos issued by Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri (Jain) or Majlis Agama Islam Negeri (Main).
When my daughter was in China, she was appalled by the unhygienic conditions of some eateries.
She played safe by patronising only those displaying a halal sticker.
Malaysia exported RM37 billion halal products last year, with China as the largest importer. It should be reiterated that the market for halal products is not confined to Muslims only.
There are more than 5,700 halal certified local companies.
But for Malaysia to be recognised as a leading halal hub, standards must also be raised for food served locally.
Y.S. Chan, Kuala Lumpur