In short
- The manual calls the body that processes your file the competent authority: JAKIM, a state Islamic religious council (MAIN) or a state Islamic religious department (JAIN)
- Which one depends on your certification scheme and the manufacturer's address, and it is shown in your MYeHALAL account
- You cannot ask to change authority
- Central kitchens, food chains, and brands operating in more than one state are handled by JAKIM
"JAKIM certification" is the common name for the Malaysian halal certificate, and the certificate itself is issued by JAKIM. But the body that receives your application, audits your premises and manages your file is often a state authority. Businesses that assume it is always JAKIM are surprised by who turns up to audit them.
How applications are routed
The manual defines the competent authority as JAKIM, MAIN or JAIN, whichever applies. An application is handled according to the certification scheme and the address of the manufacturer, and the applicant can see which authority that is in the MYeHALAL account. An applicant is not allowed to request a change of authority.
When JAKIM handles it
Three situations go to JAKIM regardless of where you are.
- Central kitchens, under the food and beverage product scheme and the food premises scheme for food chains
- Food chains, meaning premises operating as a chain under the same brand
- Two or more food premises under the same brand operating in different states
Everything else is routed by scheme and address, and the authority named in your MYeHALAL account is the one that applies to you. A brand that opens outlets in a second state moves into the third case above.
State authorities
The details below are transcribed from the appendix in JAKIM's manual that lists the contact points of the competent authorities. We list the seven states for which this site has city pages. For any other state, check the appendix in the manual or your MYeHALAL account.
| State | Authority | Unit | Address as published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selangor | Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) | Bahagian Pengurusan Halal | Tingkat 5, Menara Utara, Bangunan Sultan Idris Shah, No. 2, Persiaran Masjid, 40676 Shah Alam, Selangor |
| Kuala Lumpur | Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI) | Cawangan Pengurusan Halal, Bahagian Penyelidikan | Kompleks Pusat Islam, Jalan Perdana, 50676 Kuala Lumpur |
| Johor | Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri Johor (JAINJ) | Bahagian Pengurusan Halal | Aras 1, Blok A, Pusat Islam Iskandar Johor, Jalan Masjid Abu Bakar, 80990 Johor Bahru, Johor |
| Penang | Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang (JHEAIPP) | Bahagian Pengurusan Halal | Tingkat 44, Menara KOMTAR, Jalan Penang, 10000 Pulau Pinang |
| Perak | Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri Perak (JAIPk) | Bahagian Pengurusan Halal | No. 2A, Jalan Labrooy, Taman Pari, 30100 Ipoh, Perak |
| Sarawak | Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak (JAIS Sarawak) | Bahagian Pengurusan Halal | Aras 14, Majma' Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, Lorong P. Ramlee, Off Jalan P. Ramlee, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak |
| Sabah | Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Negeri Sabah (JHEAINS) | Urusetia Makanan Gunaan Islam, Bahagian Penyelidikan dan Informasi | Tingkat 9, Blok B, Wisma MUIS, Jalan Sembulan, Peti Surat 11666, 88818 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, Lampiran E · edition of 2020
If you are in one of these states, the city page for your area carries the same authority alongside the certification bodies and regulatory context there: Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, Johor Bahru, George Town, Ipoh, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. The full list is on the Malaysia page.
What this means for you
Three things follow. Do not assume a timeline quoted for another state holds in yours, because a different authority is doing the work. The slaughterman's credential, where you need one, comes from the state religious council or department (MAIN or JAIN), not from JAKIM. And a business planning to open outlets across state lines should expect its application to be handled by JAKIM, which is easier to plan for than to discover.
Our view, not the manual's: ask your own authority how it schedules audits before you commit to a launch date, and build the answer into the plan. If you would like help working out which authority will handle you, send us your scheme and address.
Next: how to apply on MYeHALAL, or the full certification process.