TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chief of Indonesia Ulema Counsel (MUI) Amidhan Shaberah stated that halal certification should be free of charge. He added that the same thing applies to other halal certification institute in other nations.

However, several halal certification institutions in Australia began to raise concerns as their halal license appeal to MUI is yet to receive an answer. The license will grant them authority to issue MUI halal certificate to Indonesian products in Australia.

Investigation revealed that a certain amount of cash will have to be paid to MUI, in order to receive the license. A former financial manager in a certification institute claimed to delivered Aus$50,000 to 'pay' MUI for the license.

"Back then, MUI threatened to withdraw our license," the manager said to Tempo in Melbourne a few weeks ago. Not only that MUI charges for the license, it also requires that all expense for Australian visit to be reimbursed.

Chief of Sydney Halal Certification Authority Mohamed El-Mouelhy, stated to have issued Aus$26,000 to pay seven MUI delegates in their visit to Australia in 2006. LPPOM Director at MUI Lukmanul Hakim denied such allegation, yet confirming that they charge the host authority to cover the visit expenses. "We do not have cash for making the visit," he said.

KARTIKA CANDRA

Read the full story in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine.