Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya has unequivocally refuted recent claims suggesting that products imported from the United States are entering Indonesia without proper halal certification. Addressing public concerns, Wijaya stressed the rigorous regulatory framework governing all international imports.
Wijaya elaborated that all products mandated for halal certification must secure approval from both US and Indonesian halal authorities before they can be distributed within the country. “Simply put, these claims are false,” Wijaya asserted in a statement posted on the @sekretariat.kabinet Instagram account on Sunday, February 22. “Products requiring certification are unequivocally mandated to bear a halal label, authenticated by both a recognized halal body in the United States and an accredited halal body in Indonesia.”
Specifically addressing consumables, Wijaya emphasized that all food and beverage products from the US are required to possess both a halal label and certification from the respective halal institutions in both nations. He identified the primary US halal certification bodies as HTO (Halal Transactions of Omaha) and IFANCA (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America). In Indonesia, the sole authorized guarantor is the BPJPH (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal), underscoring a unified and clear regulatory path.
Beyond foodstuffs, Wijaya further clarified that the stringent regulatory oversight extends to other categories. He affirmed that cosmetic products and medical devices imported into Indonesia are similarly obligated to obtain certification from BPOM (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan), Indonesia’s Food and Drug Supervisory Agency, ensuring comprehensive safety and compliance across various imported goods.
To further reinforce the integrity of the system, Wijaya highlighted a crucial international collaboration. He confirmed that the halal bodies of Indonesia and the United States have established a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). This significant international pact serves as an equivalency standard for halal practices, fostering robust global cooperation and ensuring consistent adherence to halal benchmarks.
Summary
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya unequivocally refuted claims that products imported from the United States are entering Indonesia without proper halal certification. He stressed that all products mandated for halal certification must secure approval from both US and Indonesian halal authorities before distribution. Specifically, all food and beverage products from the US are required to possess a halal label and certification from recognized US bodies like HTO and IFANCA, and Indonesia’s BPJPH.
Wijaya further clarified that stringent oversight extends to cosmetic products and medical devices, which must obtain certification from Indonesia’s BPOM. To reinforce the system’s integrity, Indonesia and US halal bodies have established a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), fostering global cooperation and ensuring consistent adherence to halal benchmarks.