Halal certification for slaughterhouses
The slaughter itself is what is audited: who performs it, how, how the animal is handled before and after, and what is recorded. The certificate lasts one year, the shortest of any scheme.
Who qualifies and what you must hold
The scheme is for commercial slaughterhouses that slaughter halal animals for human consumption, in two categories: poultry (chicken, duck, quail, goose, turkey, ostrich and pigeon) and ruminants (goat, sheep, deer, cattle, buffalo and camel). Rabbit and hedgehog are included. A slaughterhouse for any other halal animal is subject to the authority's approval.
Before you apply you need a veterinary certification scheme certificate or a letter of support from the Department of Veterinary Services (JPV), and every food handler needs a food handler training certificate and an anti-typhoid vaccination. The standards named in the manual are MS 1500:2009 and MS 1500:2019, together with animal, slaughterhouse and food legislation.
| Area | What the manual says |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Commercial slaughterhouses for halal poultry (such as chicken, duck, quail, goose, turkey, ostrich and pigeon) and ruminants (such as goat, sheep, deer, cattle, buffalo and camel), including rabbit and hedgehog |
| Veterinary approval | A valid veterinary certification scheme certificate or letter from the Department of Veterinary Services (JPV) |
| Food handlers | Every food handler must hold a food handler training certificate from an institution recognised by the Ministry of Health and a valid anti-typhoid vaccination from a registered medical practitioner |
| Dedicated premises | Dedicated to halal animal slaughter and halal slaughter only |
| Slaughterman | A sane, adult Muslim who practises Islam and knows the basic rules of slaughter, holding a valid Slaughterman's Credential (Tauliah Penyembelih) from MAIN or JAIN |
| Rotating slaughtermen | Change of slaughterman after a maximum of 3,000 head of poultry or 50 head of ruminants |
| Slaughter method | Cut the windpipe, the gullet and both carotid arteries and jugular veins, in one slaughter stroke, with the animal alive at the moment of slaughter |
| Same premises | Scalding, flaying, cutting and packing must be done on the same premises |
| Stunning | Not encouraged. If used, the authority's conditions apply and the method must be approved. Electric and pneumatic percussive stunning are permitted |
| Stunning limits | Pneumatic percussive stunning for large animals such as cattle and buffalo only, at no more than 225 psi, with the head protruding no more than 3 mm. Electric stunning for poultry must be waterbath type only |
| Records | Daily slaughter records covering live animals received, number slaughtered, wrong slaughters, deaths caused by stunning and animals rejected or condemned |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, pages 44 to 50 · edition of 2020
Who must be on the payroll
This scheme needs people no other scheme does: slaughtermen with a credential and a halal inspector, permanent and on duty throughout every operating period or shift. A slaughterman can swap duties with the inspector only if the inspector holds a valid credential too.
| Company size | Staff on duty | Appointment | Committee and system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large and medium | At least two slaughtermen and one halal inspector, permanent and on duty throughout operating hours or shifts | A Halal Executive at each branch premises | An Internal Halal Committee, and a HAS under MHMS 2020 |
| Small | At least one slaughterman and one halal inspector, permanent and on duty throughout operating hours or shifts | A Halal Supervisor at each branch premises | IHCS under MHMS 2020 |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, page 45 · edition of 2020
The Halal Executive, Halal Supervisor and Internal Halal Committee follow the same rules as other schemes. Our staffing guide covers the qualifications, and the HAS and IHCS guide covers the systems.
Stunning
The manual does not encourage stunning. If you use it, the authority's conditions apply, and the method has to be one the authority has approved. The manual permits electric stunning and pneumatic percussive stunning, with limits on each. The stun may not kill the animal or cause permanent injury, the animal must be confirmed alive beforehand, and the equipment must be under the supervision of a trained Muslim employee and be calibrated and maintained on a schedule that is recorded. The stunner must be used only for halal animals and never for animals in the najis mughallazah category.
Validity and fees
A slaughterhouse certificate is valid for one year. That is the shortest of any scheme, so renewal comes round sooner than for food or food premises, and the window runs from six months to three months before expiry. See validity and renewal.
The statutory fee depends on daily throughput, and is verified here against the manual. The RM20 processing fee is added to every application.
| Daily output | Criteria | Fee (per year) |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Poultry or rabbit 1-2,999 head; goat, sheep or deer 1-499; cattle, buffalo or camel 1-49 | RM100 |
| Medium | Poultry or rabbit 3,000-10,000 head; goat, sheep or deer 500-700; cattle, buffalo or camel 50-100 | RM400 |
| Large | Poultry or rabbit above 10,000 head; goat, sheep or deer above 700; cattle, buffalo or camel above 100 | RM700 |
Source: JAKIM, Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020, Bahagian III, page 15 · edition of 2020
Note: We are independent consultants, not JAKIM, JPV or a state religious authority. We prepare the documentation, the records and the staff for audit. We cannot supply slaughtermen or inspectors, and we cannot issue a credential.
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