Jakim director-general Sirajuddin Suhaimee said there had been a misunderstanding about the person in charge from the company that was seeking halal certification.
This was uncovered following a meeting between Jakim and the management of HCTM, after a government audit found that the hospital had awarded the RM25.64 million catering contract to a company that did not possess halal certification from the department.
Malaysiakini had reported higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir as saying the company had applied for halal certification immediately after winning the tender in 2024, but only managed to secure a “person in charge” from Jakim on April 14 this year.
In a statement today, Sirajuddin clarified that the “person in charge” being referred to is from the company, and not a representative of Jakim.
“The individual referred to was not a representative from Jakim, but rather the person in charge from the company undergoing the halal certification process.
“At the time, the assigned person in charge from the company was on maternity leave, and a replacement had been found.
“HCTM explained that the newly appointed officer required training before assuming the responsibilities of a halal executive, tasked with managing the company’s halal certification application,” he said.
Sirajuddin said Jakim remains committed to ensuring that every aspect of the halal certification process is conducted with transparency, integrity, and in full compliance with established standards.
The 2025 Auditor-General’s Report Series 2 found that the company, identified as 0267299-T in the audit report, won a tender to provide meals to patients at HCTM from February 2024 to February 2027.
The report said the tender was aimed at providing halal food to HCTM patients in accordance with the status of its main kitchen, which had received halal certification from Jakim.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia has pledged to strengthen its procurement guidelines after the auditor-general’s report flagged non-compliance issues in several service supply projects at HCTM, its teaching hospital.