Kuala Lampur, May 26 -- MAY 27 - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's proposal for companies holding Jakim halal certification to appoint full-time halal executives has drawn predictable resistance, particularly from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) already grappling with rising wages, higher utility costs, and squeezed margins. Those concerns deserve a fair hearing, and any new requirement must be introduced with proportionality and genuine support. But the debate cannot stop at cost alone.

At its core, halal status is about trust, consumer protection, market access, and Malaysia's long-term economic positioning, not administrative paperwork.

Halal is a system of trust

Halal is too often treated as thoug...