Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman
KUCHING: It has been confirmed that ‘Golden Churn Creamery Butter’ contains deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) of swine, ending confusion whether it is halal for Muslims once and for all.
Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman revealed that a meeting with the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) last Tuesday concluded that the product was unlawful for Muslims.
The Islamic community has been advised to stay clear of this product and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs (MDTCC) would be taking down all Halal logos and Golden Churn product labels from shops nationwide with immediate effect.
“There has been much confusion regarding to the Golden Churn product. We have released a media statement before stating that the product contains pig DNA but many doubted it.
“Furthermore, Jakim earlier stated that the product can be consumed following negative results from earlier tests (May 5) and this has raised lots of confusion among the Muslims.
“However, the latest result from a comprehensive analysis by the state Chemistry Department in June confirmed that the product is not halal for Muslims and Jakim has agreed with the findings,” added Daud when met after presenting Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak tithes fund to several individuals here yesterday.
Daud said this matter should not be taken lightly.
“The public should know the truth,” said Daud, who proposed that similar tests be conducted on all other butter products in the country.
The whole issue came to the fore last April 18 when the Johor State Religious Department (JAJ) circulated a memo within its departments to alert them of the swine DNA findings in Golden Churn Pure Creamery Butter products.
This followed the findings of swine DNA at Kluang Rail Coffee in March, where they were reported to have used Golden Churn Pure Creamery Butter to fry coffee beans which resulted in the findings of swine DNA in the coffee.
Three directors of Rail Passion Sdn Bhd, the provider for Kluang Rail Coffee, were also reported to have been charged for selling coffee that contains gelatin at their premises without labelling the ingredients as containing swine DNA.
Meanwhile, a spokesman from JAJ said in a telephone interview that the department had since issued letters to all halal certificate holders in Johor not to use the Golden Churn products.
“We do not have the authority to issue the halal status as the authority belongs to Jakim. However, we have issued letters to all halal certificate holders not to use the products. Should they use them, they have to ‘samak’ (cleanse) the items,” he explained.