McDonald’s Malaysia continues to invest in halal fast food

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Golden Arches Restaurants Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., which owns and manages the McDonald’s fast food chain in Malaysia, established its own halal affairs department early this year to engage in tasks and responsibilities related to halal issues and practice.

According to Wan Mohd Zam Wan Embong, Chairman of the Internal Halal Committee and member of the board of directors, the company takes halal compliance very seriously. “Our restaurants are regularly audited by JAKIM [the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia] to ensure compliance with halal practices. We have established an internal system that not only allows us to respond to any queries or improvement requests or suggestions immediately, but it also ensures that each of our senior management team members is aware of the audit process and the observation/outcome during every audit,” he told Salaam Gateway in an email interview.

The chain commands an approximate 40 percent share in the local quick-service restaurant market, with some 260 McDonald’s restaurants in Malaysia serving 13.5 million customers every month (for comparison, there are about 500 KFC restaurants nationwide). The company aims to increase its market presence to 400 restaurants in the coming years.