Comfort food chain Bungkus Kaw Kaw announces its brand now certified halal, after status denied by Jakim

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Local drinks and breakfast chain Bungkus Kaw Kaw (BKK) said today that it has been certified halal, after its status was refuted by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).

In a statement, the brand said the certification is a significant milestone for it.

“Bungkus Kaw Kaw aims to meet the diverse needs of Muslims by offering halal-certified authenticMalaysian favourite food and drinks,” it said in a statement here.

“This step is taken to create an environment of trust, inclusivity, and culinary excellence for all. The halal certification holds particular importance in a country with a large Muslim population, ensuring that the food complies with Islamic dietary laws.”

BKK said the certification process involved rigorous adherence to specific standards and guidelines, with significant time and resources dedicated to meeting these requirements.

“This commitment reflects the restaurant's dedication to upholding the integrity of halal food,” it said.

In September, Jakim responded to questions online about the halal status of six restaurants — Johnny’s Restaurant, Black Canyon, Dolly Dim Sum, Mr Dakgalbi, and Bungkus Kaw Kaw — and said all six were not listed in its database of certified restaurants.

Halal certification assures Mulims that products and services, particularly food, meet Islamic dietary laws and are permissible for their consumption.

However, a lack of halal certification does not automatically denote that a restaurant is non-halal, but only that it is not certified.

Due to the costs involved, the majority of micro-small-medium enterprises in Malaysia do not have Jakim’s halal certification.