In Indonesia, halal certification is essential for businesses because most of the population is Muslim. However, the certification process is considered difficult and costly, thus preventing business owners, especially small and micro-entrepreneurs, from getting the certification. Therefore, CIBF SBM ITB collaborated with ITB Halal Study Center to organize a seminar entitled “Self-Declaring Halal Certification: The Role of Halal Product Process assistants (PPH) in the success of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) Halal Certification” on Saturday (23/4/2022) to socialize halal certification through the self-declaration route. This seminar invited three key speakers: Hj. Siti Aminah, M.Pd.I, the Head of BPJPH Halal Standardization and Cooperation Center, Prof. Dr. Slamet Ibrahim, DEA., Apt, the Professor of School of Pharmacy ITB & Head of Halal Center Salman ITB, and Oktofa Yudha Sudrajad, Ph.D., the Director of CIBF SBM ITB.
The three speakers invited to this session discussed halal certification from different perspectives. Oktofa raised the topic of the relationship between halal certificates and the economy and how halal certification will provide increased benefits. According to Oktofa, this certification does not significantly affect the cost component because it is less than 1% compared to revenue. Therefore, entrepreneurs do not have to worry about revenue decline. Moreover, halal certification with the self-declaration method is free.
“In terms of benefits, the potential for the halal industry is large, and Indonesia’s consumption is also large. As a country with the largest Muslim population, we must be able to take advantage of this potential. However, we have not been able to control the world’s halal market. One strategy is encouraging halal certification,” said Oktofa.
Meanwhile, Prof. Slamet focused on his discussion on the competence of the Halal Production Process (PPH) assistants for micro and small business owners. These PPH assistants can come from community organizations or universities to verify and validate documents. Because it has a central role in the halal certification process, competence is important so that the assistance results are believed by both business actors and MUI so that the halalness of the product is genuinely ensured.
Several competencies need to be possessed by PPH assistants, including understanding the laws and regulations regarding halal product guarantees and their implementation rules, understanding the concept of halal-haram in Islamic law, understanding the applicable halal certification process, and understanding and understanding the halal product guarantee system (SJPH).
“PPH assistants must be fostered by BPJPH and given a code of ethics to be adhered to as a standard. With competency standards, assistants can assist MSMEs with honesty, kindness, integrity, and responsibility,” Prof. Slamet explained.
Finally, Siti explained regulations on halal certification, especially for the self-declaration path. Siti also encouraged the public, especially university students and members of Islamic community organizations, to become PPH assistants to help BPJPH, targeting ten million halal certificates for micro and small businesses. Approximately one hundred thousand PPH assistants from universities and organizations are needed to meet this target.
PPH assistants will assist business actors in filling out forms and verifying and validating documents. Therefore, great patience is needed because dealing with MSMEs is not like other businesses. In addition, accuracy is also required; business actors who will be visited later sometimes hand over everything to the assistant. This could be a challenge. However, don’t worry, as all PPH assistants will be given training beforehand.