Halal Logo Claims Spark Penang’s First Prosecutions in Court

GEORGE TOWN, Penang — Three company directors and their firms appeared before the Sessions Court here on Thursday, July 23, 2026, in what were described as Penang’s first prosecutions under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, according to The Star. Two of the three defendants pleaded guilty to displaying halal-linked claims without valid certification and were fined; the third denied wrongdoing and will return to court next month.

Two company directors and their firms pleaded guilty and were fined between RM10,000 and RM20,000 on July 23, 2026, at Penang’s George Town Sessions Court for displaying halal-related claims, including “Muslim Friendly” signage and Arabic “halal kitchen” wording, without valid certification, according to The Star. A third director claimed trial.

Three Cases, Two Guilty Pleas

Robert Khoo Keat Hoe, 53, and his company, Laksamana (X) Sdn Bhd, pleaded guilty to displaying “Muslim Friendly” and “Muslim Friendly Cafe” signboards at premises on Lebuh Chulia on Sept. 24, 2025, The Star reported. Sessions Court judge Irwan Suainbon fined Khoo RM10,000, in default 12 months’ imprisonment, and fined the company RM20,000, in default 15 months’ imprisonment. Khoo was represented by lawyer Suzzanne Tan.

Sia Khai Jun, 24, and Silk Road Lanzhou Beef Noodles Sdn Bhd pleaded guilty to displaying four menu books bearing the Arabic phrase for “halal kitchen” without halal certification at the company’s restaurant in Taman Pauh Jaya, Permatang Pauh, on Sept. 23, 2025, according to The Star. Sia was fined RM10,000, in default 10 months’ imprisonment, and the company was fined RM20,000, in default 15 months’ imprisonment. The prosecution was conducted by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), with Mohd Hilmi Abu Hassan as the prosecuting officer, The Star said. Genuine certification doesn’t travel between products or premises by resemblance alone; readers can learn how to spot a trusted halal certification logo before trusting any signage.

The Contested Case

The third defendant, Abdul Samad Ayob, 51, and his company, SAG 7 International Sdn Bhd, pleaded not guilty to a charge of using a halal logo on six products without halal certification, an offense The Star said was allegedly committed at the company’s premises in Bukit Minyak Industrial Park, Simpang Ampat, on Jan. 14, 2026. The charge was framed under Paragraph 8(a) of the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, which carries a maximum fine of RM200,000 for a first offense by a body corporate upon conviction, according to The Star. Judge Irwan Suainbon set Aug. 27, 2026, for the next mention; the accused was represented by lawyer KR Meera. The matter is pending, and no finding of guilt has been made against Abdul Samad or SAG 7 International.

A Wider Enforcement Push

The George Town prosecutions land amid a broader Penang campaign against false halal representations. A food outlet with premises on Level 3 of Queensbay Mall in Bayan Lepas and an additional outlet at Plaza Gurney was inspected on July 8, 2025, by the Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department’s (JHEAIPP) Halal Management Division and the Penang branch of KPDN, according to The Leaders Online and Bernama. Inspectors found the outlet didn’t hold its own Malaysian Halal Certification (SPHM) and had displayed a halal certificate belonging to a different business, a slaughterhouse owned by Nafas Food Processing and Marketing Sdn Bhd. Not every certificate posted behind a counter belongs to the business that posted it, a distinction covered in how to read a halal certificate. The inspection report went to the state’s 11th panel meeting on July 15, 2025, and a video of the outlet went viral on Sept. 10, 2025. A same-day follow-up inspection found no certificate belonging to another company on display and no violations, JHEAIPP said, though the outlet was warned against the practice. Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohamad Abdul Hamid urged the public to verify information, including on social media, before sharing it, per The Leaders Online.

A separate round of inspections on Sept. 11, 2025, by KPDN Penang, JHEAIPP, and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) covered food-court outlets at a shopping center in Bayan Lepas and at Persiaran Gurney, both believed to belong to the same company, Malay Mail reported. Inspectors found no valid JAKIM halal logo displayed at either premises. “The inspection found no Halal logo issued by Jakim, nor any representation or act that could mislead anyone into believing that the food was halal,” S. Jegan, director of Penang KPDN, said, according to Malay Mail. Both operators were issued two inspection notices, told to comply with KPDN regulations, and placed under continued monitoring. Diners looking to avoid ambiguity can check why JAKIM urges Muslims to choose restaurants with valid halal certificates rather than relying on signage alone.

What Comes Next

The George Town case marks the first time Penang has carried a halal-labeling dispute through to conviction under the 2011 order rather than resolving it with a warning, as the Queensbay Mall and Bayan Lepas incidents were in 2025. Abdul Samad Ayob’s case returns to court on Aug. 27, 2026, when the Sessions Court will next hear whether SAG 7 International’s halal-logo use amounts to an offense under Paragraph 8(a).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal to display a halal logo without certification in Malaysia?
Yes. Under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011, using a halal logo or making halal-related claims without valid certification is an offense; a body corporate convicted of a first offense faces a maximum fine of RM200,000, according to The Star’s report on the charge against SAG 7 International Sdn Bhd.

What happened in Penang’s halal certification prosecutions?
On July 23, 2026, the George Town Sessions Court heard three cases against company directors and their firms. Two defendants, Robert Khoo Keat Hoe and Sia Khai Jun, pleaded guilty and were fined RM10,000 each, with their companies fined RM20,000 each, per The Star.

What is Malaysia’s SPHM halal certification mark?
SPHM, the Malaysian Halal Certification, is issued to a specific business for its own premises or products. A Bayan Lepas outlet was found displaying an SPHM belonging to a different company, a slaughterhouse operated by Nafas Food Processing and Marketing Sdn Bhd, according to The Leaders Online and Bernama.

Who enforces halal certification rules in Penang?
Enforcement runs through several bodies: the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) prosecutes trade-description offenses, the Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department’s (JHEAIPP) Halal Management Division inspects premises, and JAKIM issues the national halal logo, based on the agencies named in coverage from The Star, Bernama, and Malay Mail.

What penalty did the Penang halal-logo violators receive?
Robert Khoo Keat Hoe and Sia Khai Jun were each fined RM10,000, with their companies, Laksamana (X) Sdn Bhd and Silk Road Lanzhou Beef Noodles Sdn Bhd, fined RM20,000 apiece on July 23, 2026, The Star reported. A third defendant who pleaded not guilty faces a possible fine of up to RM200,000 if convicted.