BY Azlan Othman

A restaurant in the Belait district was ordered by the Syariah Affairs Department to undergo cleansing after a photo of a dog contaminating a bucket of food outside spread in social media.

The department said the restaurant involved is a valid halal certificate holder, and cleansing instructions were issued to the restaurant owners to be implemented immediately.

The department said that the picture went viral on July 28 and in response, sent enforcement officers from the Halal Food Control Division to inspect the premise with enforcement officers from the Department of Health Services at noon the same day to investigate.

The case is under investigation and could be prosecuted under Section 37 of the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order, 2005 for violating the requirements of halal certification.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs said owners of halal-certified restaurants need to comply with the conditions and requirements and regulations set out in the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order, 2005.

The ministry said it will not hesitate to take legal action on any violations.

Members of the public who wish to make a complaint and share information about any violations of the law involving halal meat can be made directly to the Syariah Affairs Department through the Halal Food Control Division by calling the hotline 7166222 or any office of the Halal Food Control Division in each district.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin