MUI: Government Must Provide Halal Vaccines

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has asked the government to provide halal vaccines for injection to the Indonesian people. Moreover, the government is currently conducting a third dose or booster vaccination program.

Head of the MUI Fatwa Division, KH Asrorun Niam, said that according to the MUI fatwa, vaccination for the sake of realizing herd immunity must be provided with halal vaccines.

If there is a halal vaccine and the amount is sufficient, he said, it is not allowed to use non-halal, haram or unclean vaccines. booster," said Asrorun Niam in a statement received, Friday, February 11. Asrorun explained, if the need for vaccination is high and not proportional to the number of halal vaccines, then it is allowed to use non-halal vaccines.

On the other hand, if the government has provided halal vaccines, then non-halal vaccines cannot be used.

"Even if the non-halal items are distributed free of charge, while the halal ones must be purchased. So even the free items were easy and cheap, they should not be used. As long as the halal ones are available and sufficient," he explained.

Asrorun also appealed to the public to contribute positively in preventing and tackling the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak with strict health protocols (prokes) and also using halal vaccines.

As for the government, he appealed, it is hoped or obliged to continue to ensure the availability of halal vaccines for the people of Indonesia as the largest Muslim population in the world.

"The problem is whether there is or not, this is where the responsibility of the government is to make efforts to ensure the availability and adequacy and prioritize halal vaccines," he said.

"If there is a COVID-19 vaccine that is one halal and one non-halal, then it must be held that is halal," Asrorun Niam said. Airlangga (Unair).

This halalness is stated in the MUI Fatwa No. 8 of 2022 regarding the Red and White COVID-19 vaccine product in collaboration with Unair and PT Biotis Pharmaceuticals Indonesia which was issued on February 7, 2022. The MUI has also issued a halal fatwa on COVID-19 vaccines such as Sinovac and Zivivax. from Anhui, China. In addition to the vaccine, MUI still allows the use of other vaccines during the emergency period and the availability of vaccines in the community.