CONTRACTUAL INFRINGEMENT AND MISREPRESENTATION IN THE HALAL SECTOR: A CASE REVIEW OF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR V WEE MEE INDUSTRIES CO SDN BHD [1986] 1 MLJ 505

Abstract

The governance and structural collaboration between the public agencies and the private sector in the Malaysian halal economy is to uphold the trust of the international trade. This paper deals with the ethical & legal issues of breach of contract, IP infringement & misrepresentation in global halal promotional platforms. The paper explores the limits of co-operative agreements in the context of the organisation of flagship halal exhibitions by examining a case study of the landmark court case between Shapers International Sdn Bhd and the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC). Contractual ambiguities and overlapping jurisdictions threaten not only institutional integrity but also the very foundation of the public-private framework on which Malaysia’s halal ecosystem is built. This case review examines the conflict between legal duties of contract law and intellectual property rights and the limits of commercial exclusivity against administrative overreach. The study further discusses avenues of integrating modern Halal Management principles to avoid institutional disputes with a view to provide systemic routes to transparency, structural accountability and clearer statutory roles for stakeholders responsible for managing national halal assets.