Malaysian Halal Certification for Cosmetics & Personal Care Products

The Malaysia Halal Certification Body (JAKIM) is the first to introduce and develop a Halal standard for cosmetics and personal care products which aligns with the Malaysian Standards (MS), a national standards and accreditation body in Malaysia. It serves as the basic requirement for Halal cosmetics and Halal personal care products trade in Malaysia.

1. Who are the Competent Authorities?

• Who is JAKIM?

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (commonly known as JAKIM) is the government agency under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Prime Minister's Office and authorized by the Malaysian government to establish the Malaysian Halal Logo and to supervise and implement the Halal Guidelines.

In Malaysia, the Halal certification of products has been pioneered and profoundly regulated since its inception in 1997 and is widely recognized globally and by United Nations.

It was originally initiated in order to meet the local Malaysian demand for Halal certified meat. The JAKIM halal logo has expanded in scope to encompass a range of other food and beverages products, food premises, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, logistics, etc.

• Who is MIHA?

The Malaysia International Halal Academy (MIHA) was established by JAKIM in order to regulate and ensure the credibility and integrity of all consulting and training bodies that issue Malaysian Halal Certification.

Under the regulation of JAKIM, all activities of consultation and training shall only be conducted by MIHA-accredited bodies and its appointed representatives.

2. Malaysian Halal Certification (MHC): Dossier and documentation requirements

Application by international enterprise for Malaysia Halal Certification (MHC) is normally conducted in two parts. The first part being identifying the Halal readiness of the applicant for MHC and the second part is a final audit which will be completed by JAKIM. The applicant can engage an appointed competent Halal Consultant to provide their expertise to complete the application process.

In the Halal readiness process, the appointed competent Halal Consultant shall provide the applicant with a Gap Analysis on:

1. the premise and facilities compliance

2. identification analysis on the products

3. ingredients and document compliance

Next, the Halal committee shall be nominated (applicant’s management personnel) and training given on Halal Awareness, Halal Internal Audit and The Halal Assurance System. The documentation of Halal File and the Halal Assurance manual shall be incorporated into relevant international management systems (GMP/ HACCP/ Others) as part of the process. A final assessment shall be conducted on competency and compliance protocols and a determination of Halal readiness is made.

If a positive final assessment is received, the applicant’s application shall be submitted through JAKIM’s My-E-Halal portal and a schedule will be fixed for a final audit by JAKIM’s Auditor. The Auditor shall make a determination and recommends for certification for the applicant.

References in standards are based in accordance to the Malaysian Standards (MS) for Halal in Cosmetics: -
1. MS 2200-1 (2008): Islamic Consumer Goods - Part 1: Cosmetic and Personal Care
2. Ms 2200-2 (2013) Islamic Consumer Goods -Part 2: Usage of animal bone, skin and hair

3. Common Problems Faced by Industry

Problem No. 1 – Non-Halal Food Served in the Premise/Facility

If non-halal food is served in the facility, canteen and/or quarters, will the establishment be disqualified? In short, the answer is no.

Solution – Control Measures

Malaysia as a country have always promoted moderation in its Islamic beliefs and thus, JAKIM do not impose nor enforce specific food choices on people of other faiths. However, contamination of the manufactured products may occur. In view of this, enforcing control measures will fulfill Halal Certification requirements.

Problem No. 2 - Personnel Requirements: Hiring Muslims

In a non-Muslim community or minority, engaging a Muslim worker can be an arduous task for the establishment.

Solution – Third Party Engagement

JAKIM does not require that an applicant must engage Muslim workers in its operation. However, it must be noted that the internal Halal Committee established for the purpose of overseeing/monitoring the processes must have at least one Muslim Halal Executive. It can be nominated through its Malaysian counterpart and/or its appointed Halal consultant firm.

Problem No. 3 – Halal Ingredients

It is a common issue that ingredients suppliers may not have a halal certificate and JAKIM strictly adhere to scrutinizing the ingredients source and origins.

Solution – Understanding Halal Critical Risk, High Risk and Low Risk

Ingredients classified as critical risks are meat-based products and thus, MUST be halal certified. However, high risk and low risk category for halal are governed by the declaration of supporting documentation in providing the product specification, process flow, Certificate of Analysis/Certificate of Origin (COA/COO), manufacturers declaration and/or material safety data sheet (MSDS) to validate and verify as halal.

Problem No. 4 - Choosing the right Halal Certification

Foreign enterprises are often confused or faced with a dilemma when it comes to selecting the right Halal Certification for their respective businesses. In most instances, the costs of Halal Certification application could be a factor. Compliance issues are also a major difficulty.

Solution – Understanding Halal Certification Recognition.

There is no absolute right certification or wrong certification. From the consumer perspective, trust and recognition of the certification is of paramount importance. In truth there is no universally accepted Halal certification. In deciding the most suitable Halal certificate, one needs to select based on the criteria of the certification as recognized by the countries of import (the no. of Islamic countries acceptance and recognition of the certificate) and consumer trust in that certification.