Indonesians Face Risk of Eating Non-Halal Imported Meat

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Meat incorrectly labeled as halal is being imported to Indonesia, a Tempo investigation has found. A meat plant in Melbourne, Australia, was found to have been using the same space for processing halal and non-halal meats, which goes against halal standards according to the Indonesian Council of Ulama, which authorizes Australian Islamic businesses to certify whether meat is halal or not.

Previous indiscretions have been covered up with bribes of tens of thousands of Australian dollars to MUI Chairman Amidhan Shabera, with the general public not informed they have been eating haram meat.

The meat from the Melbourne plant is shipped to Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Japan, Singapore and several Middle Eastern countries, as well as being consumed domestically.

The Islamic Coordinating Council of Victoria, which makes sure the plant adheres to Islamic standards, said according to their last audit of the processing plant there was no mixing of the meat.

At a visit to the plant two weeks ago, Tempo observed goat meat labeled halal stored in the same room in which pork was being processed.

Amidhan said the rules were clear over how meat should be processed in accordance with shariah law.

"It must be [done] in separate places. Even right next to each other is not allowed," he said.  

Amidhan and at least three other MUI leaders are accused of taking bribes of up to AUD $78,000 to allow certification business, like ICCV, to hold their licenses despite failing to ensure haram meat was labeled as haram.

ALEX HAMER