Kelantan halal rule goes against right to a livelihood, says lawyer

[superadmin]

PETALING JAYA:The Kelantan state government may run afoul of constitutional guarantees on the right to earn a livelihood if it compels Muslim eateries to obtain halal certificates, says a lawyer.

“Halal certification should be a choice for any person opening a business,” said lawyer A Srimurugan. “But when you force business owners to get halal certification, this violates their right to do business which is part of their right to earning a livelihood,” he said.

He said the Kelantan proposal was not proportionate or reasonable. The cost of such certification, which can reach up to RM200,000 per outlet, might be prohibitive for prospective business owners “before they can even start operating their businesses”, he said.

Srimurugan suggested that the Kelantan state government should find a way to make it “zero cost” for small businesses to comply with the regulations.

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