A Wine Product Named Nabidz Claims to have a Halal Certificate Went Viral, the Ministry of Religion Denies: There’s No Such Thing

Head of BPJPH Ministry of Religion Aqil Irham. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) of the Ministry of Religion emphasized that it has never issued a halal certificate for wine products.

"Regarding the information that online sales of wine products with the Nabidz brand are claimed to be halal certified, we need to emphasize that BPJPH has never issued a halal certificate for wine products," said BPJPH Head of the Ministry of Religion Aqil Irham in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, July 26.

Previously, Nabidz wine products claimed that their drinks had received halal certificates from BPJPH and MUI. The claim was uploaded on social media.

Aqil emphasized that the brand had indeed applied for a halal certificate and was registered in the Sihalal system. However, the product registered is not wine but fruit juice drink.

"Based on data in the Sihalal system, we can confirm that there are indeed beverage products with the Nabidz brand that have received a halal certificate from BPJPH. However, these products are not wine or red-wine, but fruit juice drink products," said Aqil.

Nabidz brand fruit juice products, said Aqil, had been submitted for halal certification on May 25, 2023 through a self-declare mechanism with assistance from the Halal Product Process (PPH) carried out by the PPH Facilitator.

The submission was verified and validated on May 25, 2023, with the product being submitted in the form of Nabidz brand grape juice.

PPH assistants have also ensured that the materials used are halal. The production process carried out by business actors is also simple, and business actors state that there is no fermentation process in it. The product photos uploaded to Sihalal are also in the form of plastic bottles.

"Based on the results of the verification and validation of the PPH Assistant, no violations or discrepancies with the provisions were found. Furthermore, the Fatwa Committee determined the halal product on June 12, 2023," said Aqil.

Meanwhile, in relation to complaints that the Halal Certificate (SH) issued was in fact used for other products, Aqil emphasized that BPJPH did not justify this.

BPJPH has dispatched a Halal Product Assurance Monitoring team to study the facts on the ground.

"If there is a violation, of course we will strictly impose sanctions in accordance with applicable regulations, including the revocation of halal certification," he said.

On the other hand, BPJPH has also blocked the Halal Certificate number ID131110003706120523 for Nabidz Grape Juice products.

"We will do this until the supervisory team's investigation process is complete. This is part of BPJPH's responsibility in carrying out the task of guaranteeing halal products," said Aqil.