Halal Governance and Its Societal Impact: A Comparative Study of Certification Regimes in Indonesia and Malaysia for Muslim Families

El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga https://jurnal.ar-raniry.ac.id/index.php/usrah/index ISSN: 2620 – 8075 ║ E-ISSN: 2620 – 8083 Vol. 8. No. 2. December 2025 DOI: 10.22373/ujhk.v8i2.29191 Halal Governance and Its Societal Impact: A Comparative Study of Certification Regimes in Indonesia and Malaysia for Muslim Families Moh. Nizar,1 Mohammad Zaki Ahmad1 1 Ghazali Shafie Graduate School of Government, Universiti Utara Malaysia, College of Law, Government and International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok Kedah Malaysia Email: ,my Abstract The different state foundations of Indonesia and Malaysia civil society-driven versus state-centric significantly shape their halal certification policies. Indonesia’s decentralized, bottom-up governance model allows religious civil society, particularly the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), to play a strong role in certification. Despite the government’s takeover of certification management, MUI retains doctrinal authority through its halal fatwas. In contrast, Malaysia’s centralized, top-down model has positioned the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (JAKIM) as the sole regulatory authority overseeing halal certification. This article examines a comparative study of both countries’ halal certification frameworks, analyzing how their institutional structures influence policy implementation. Indonesia’s multi-stakeholder model, involving both governmental and non-governmental actors, has led to a prolonged certification process due to bureaucratic complexities. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s state-led approach ensures a more streamlined and efficient process. These contrasting regulatory models reflect deeper institutional and historical trajectories, shaping not only the efficiency of halal governance but also its broader legitimacy. This study contributes to discussions on the intersection of religion, state authority, and policy-making, offering insights into how governance structures impact regulatory effectiveness in halal certification. Keywords: Halal Certification, MUI, JAKIM, Indonesia, Malaysia, Muslim Families 952 Moh. Nizar and Zaki Ahmad, Halal Governance and Its Societal Impact 953 Abstrak Perbedaan landasan negara antara Indonesia dan Malaysia dimana di satu pihak digerakkan oleh masyarakat sipil dan di pihak lainnya berpusat pada negara secara signifikan memengaruhi kebijakan sertifikasi halal di kedua negara. Model tata kelola Indonesia yang terdesentralisasi dan berbasis pada asas bottom-up memungkinkan masyarakat sipil keagamaan, khususnya Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI,) memainkan peran penting dalam proses sertifikasi halal. Dalam konteks ini meskipun pemerintah Indonesia telah mengambil alih tata kelola sertifikasi halal, namun MUI tetap mempertahankan otoritasnya dalam pemberian fatwa halal. Sebaliknya, model tata kelola Malaysia yang terpusat dan berorientasi dari atas ke bawah menjadikan Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) sebagai satusatunya otoritas regulatif dalam pengawasan sertifikasi halal. Artikel ini menyajikan studi perbandingan atas kerangka sertifikasi halal di kedua negara, dengan menganalisis bagaimana struktur kelembagaan masing-masing memengaruhi implementasi kebijakan. Model Indonesia yang melibatkan berbagai pemangku kepentingan, baik dari unsur pemerintah maupun non-pemerintah, menghasilkan proses sertifikasi yang cenderung lebih panjang akibat kompleksitas birokrasi. Sementara itu, pendekatan Malaysia yang sepenuhnya dipimpin oleh negara menghasilkan proses yang lebih terpusat, ringkas, dan efisien. Perbedaan regulasi ini mencerminkan lintasan kelembagaan dan historis yang lebih dalam, tidak hanya membentuk efisiensi tata kelola halal tetapi juga legitimasinya yang lebih luas. Studi ini memberikan kontribusi terhadap diskursus mengenai hubungan antara agama, otoritas negara, dan proses pembuatan kebijakan, serta menawarkan wawasan tentang bagaimana struktur tata kelola memengaruhi efektivitas regulasi dalam sistem sertifikasi halal. Kata Kunci: Sertifikasi Halal, MUI, JAKIM, Indonesia, Malaysia, Keluarga Muslim Introduction The growing global demand for halal products aligns with the rapid increase in the Muslim population, which is expanding at twice the rate of the non-Muslim population. However, the halal product industry is largely dominated by non-Muslim countries such as Brazil, Australia, China, Korea, South Africa, and the United States.1 In this context, halal certification plays a crucial role in ensuring that certified food and beverages meet the necessary standards for Muslim consumers.2 1 Noreen Noor Abd Aziz et al., “A Review on the Emergence and Growth of Halal Studies,” Procedia Economics and Finance 31 (2015), p. 325–32. Md Siddique E Azam and Moha Asri Abdullah, “Global Halal Industry: Realities and Opportunities,” International Journal of Islamic Business Ethics 5, no. 1 (2020), p. 47. 2 Hakiye Aslan, “The Influence of Halal Awareness, Halal Certificate, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioral Control, Attitude and Trust on Purchase Intention of Culinary Products among Muslim Costumers in Turkey,” International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science 32 (2023), p. 100726. F F P Perdana, et. al., “A Research Framework of The Halal Certification Role in Purchase https://jurnal.ar-raniry.ac.id/index.php/usrah/index Vol. 8 No. 2, December 2025 Moh. Nizar and Zaki Ahmad, Halal Governance and Its Societal Impact 954 Determining whether a product contains halal or non-halal components requires not only adherence to Sharia but also the application of modern technological methods.3 This suggests that both Muslim and non-Muslim countries can produce halalcompliant products as long as they uphold halal principles.4 Therefore, the presence of halal certification institutions is essential to verify and authenticate the integrity of halal food products.5 Given this context, both Muslim and non-Muslim countries can meet halal standards by establishing halal certification institutions. Notably, even before the global halal industry expanded into its current form, the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia had already implemented regulations governing halal products and certification agencies.6 As a result, all products food, beverages, and others marketed in these countries are required to obtain halal certification from their respective national halal authorities.7 The establishment of these institutions is deeply intertwined with the relationship between religion and politics in each country.8 To understand the link between religion and politics in the context of halal certification, it is useful to examine cases from Muslim-majority countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. While both nations have sizable Muslim populations and active civil societies, they differ significantly in their political structures and policy approaches. In Malaysia, where Islam is the official religion and the majority of the population is Muslim, the government considers the implementation of Isl (...truncated)