Malaysians love to eat, which is why it’s often a big deal if a restaurant here is halal or not. As such, this netizen was shocked to discover Madam Kwan’s, a popular local eatery was in fact, not halal.
According to Facebook user Rizal Hakimm Punyer, he had first been tipped off by the fact Madam Kwan’s was serving beer which greatly concerned him. His enquiry only confirmed what he had suspected; Madam Kwan’s was not halal. But, netizens had differing opinions on his new revelation.
Apparently, during his conversation with a representative from Madam Kwan’s, the eatery firmly stated: “Madam Kwan’s does not hold a halal certificate. However, we would like to reassure you that all ingredients used in our dishes, including chicken and (other) meat, were obtained from suppliers who do hold a halal certificate.”
They also clarified that their reason for not obtaining a halal certificate was due to the presence of alcoholic beverages at their premises. “But, we (do) have strict protocols in place to ensure there is no cross-contamination, and our food and drinks are prepared separately from alcoholic beverages,” they promised. Madam Kwan’s added that currently, they were not applying for a halal certificate.
But, Hakimm opined that Madam Kwan’s should perhaps reconsider their stance on obtaining a halal cert. “After all, Madam Kwan’s has a lot of customers among the Muslims/Malays… just look at KLCC, Pavilion KL and MidValley, a lot of Muslims eat (there). There is no need to sell beer, or for some outlets in a Malay-majority area, there doesn’t need to be a beer menu,” he suggested.
Hakimm also brought up several other popular restaurants that had yet to obtain a halal certificate, such as Kenny Hills Bakers and K Fry. “Kenny Hills Bakers too (should) be avoided, ladies and gentlemen. A lot of Malays eat here. K Fry on the other hand has been in the process of applying for a Halal Status for years, but to this day, the answer is still the same. No initiative at all,” he commented.
Screenshots from both eateries’ sites showed both Kenny Hills Bakers and K Fry claimed to be working on getting a halal certification. Hakimm added that other places, such as TGIF and Chili’s too weren’t halal, as they served beer but eateries like Kyochon and Tony Roma’s had already certified their halal status.
Netizens had various reactions to Hakimm’s revelation. Most comments thanked Hakimm for enlightening them, with several opining that there were other, better places to eat at. “The choice is in our hands,” one netizen stated. “Just eat at our Malay-run stores, (it’s) cheap and delicious. Support (our) business owners,” another suggested.
One even claimed there was no excuse for Madam Kwan’s to not have a halal status. “Logically, their sales should be over hundreds and thousands a month, so they should not have a problem obtaining a halal cert. There must be something else (stopping them),” they said. But, others felt Madam Kwan’s non-halal status should have been obvious.
“There is no need to explain anything. People who eat there don’t care. If they did, they wouldn’t be eating there,” a comment read. Others pointed out the restaurant’s name should have been a clue. A netizen also commented that Madam Kwan’s had never displayed a halal certificate in their restaurant, which would have indicated that they did not hold a halal status.
There’s no denying that Muslims do need to be wary of local eateries’ halal status. But it should be noted that obtaining the halal certificate is not an easy process. Of course, plenty must be done to meet the standards demanded and to ensure things are well and truly halal for our Muslim friends.
Sources: Facebook, Lowyat.net
