SAFEGUARDING HALAL FOOD INTEGRITY THROUGH STRICT LIABILITY: A CASE ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR V WEE MEE INDUSTRIES CO SDN. BHD.

Abstract

The halal food industry is not about following the rules of Shariah law. It is also about making sure the food is good and safe to eat. It is about protecting the people who buy the food. The idea of halalan tayyiban is to eat food that is allowed under Shariah law and to make sure it is clean and safe and good quality. So, companies that make food have to make sure their products are halal all the time. They also have to be honest about what's in the food they make. Let us look at a court case Public Prosecutor v Wee Mee Industries Co Sdn Bhd [1986] 1 MLJ 505. This case was about a company that put the word ‘Halal’ on their noodles. They were not honest about what was in the noodles. The halal food industry is very important. Companies have to be careful about what they say about their food. The halal food industry is about more than saying something is halal. It is, about the halal food being good and safe to eat. They said the seasoning powder had vegetable oil. This product was actually composed of animal fats. This case highlights the importance of transparency and correct labeling of food products and responsibility on part of the manufacturer. This study would examine the problems raised in this case and the implications of the principle of strict liability within the context of food safety laws. Further, this research will highlight the applicability of the concept of strict liability within the halal food industry. Our aim is to evaluate the effects of legal responsibility and integrity of halal in protecting consumer interests while ensuring that halal products are indeed halalan tayyiban. From our analysis, we conclude that halal food manufacturers must have complete control over the ingredients used in their products, production processes, and disclosure to consumers.