JAKARTA - Head of the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) Haikal Hassan confirmed the news circulating on social media regarding the statement of the President of the United States Donald Trump who was said to ask Indonesia to revoke halal certification was a hoax.
Haikal said this clarification was important because the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had held an official press conference regarding the issue.
"I say it is a hoax, because the press conference held by the USTR and USDA stated that they agreed and followed the regulations issued by the official BPJPH," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, February 9.
In addition, he said BPJPH had also met with 82 US entrepreneurs in Jakarta in a forum attended by representatives of the US government.
During the meeting, Haikal emphasized that the entrepreneurs expressed support for the halal certification rules in Indonesia and welcomed the implementation of the compulsory halal policy.
Haikal emphasized that halal rules are not something new for the United States. The Uncle Sam country has implemented a halal system since 1974 through the establishment of the Islamic Food Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).
"The United States has been implementing halal since 1974. So it is clear that the news is a hoax," he said.
Previously, a viral video on social media said Trump asked Indonesia to revoke the halal certification rules.
The narrative in the video links the halal issue with Indonesia's participation in Trump's peace council, the Board of Peace.
The upload triggered various reactions from netizens, but BPJPH confirmed that the information was not true.
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