Waste of public funds to set up shariah compliant commission, Rafidah tells PM
Former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz says there are several bodies looking into the sector and have not shown results.
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SHAH ALAM - Former Cabinet minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has voiced out concern over Putrajaya's move to set up shariah compliant commission, stating it is a waste of public funds as there were several bodies including Malaysian Halal Corporation to look into the sector.
She said even the present ones had not shown any results.
"Then there is the continuous mushrooming of task forces, committees supposedly to cater for some sub-sector, sub-area" of the larger sector which already has its own board overseeing entity with all-encompassing jurisdiction and authority.
"And yet no reports have been presented. Let alone actual actions undertaken by the new entities. Again public funds are aimlessly spent which could have been better channeled to the relevant sectors, groups in the society and the economy," the former international trade and industry minister said in a statement.
Earlier Bernama reported Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said the regulation of the halal industry in the country can be consolidated through the establishment of a Shariah-compliant commission.
He had further said currently, the existing regulatory proposal is more limited to the Islamic financial sector through Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission, while the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) regulates the halal industry.
He had said more comprehensive regulations can be consolidated for example through the establishment of a Shariah-compliant commission.
But Rafidah said the Malaysian Halal Corporation (MDC) was established in 2006 and has been actively promoting the halal industry and ensuring shariah compliance was in place.
"In fact, there the halal industry masterplan 2030 is already in place," she said.
"Malaysia does not need to waste public funds to set up another body for the halal products sector," she added.
Due to that, she asked the "advisors" and "experts" attached to the Prime Minister, including the ministers know "what is already there, what has already been done, and what is actually still functioning before advising their bosses to make those proposals".
