Q&A: Why should a halal agency from a Muslim-minority country be taken seriously? Singapore’s Warees making a push abroad

The global halal industry knows a lot about Malaysia’s JAKIM, Indonesia’s BPJPH and MUI, and other important halal gatekeepers such as Muslim World League and SFDA in Saudi Arabia, and the UAE’s ESMA. Singapore is unique in this scenario as it is not a Muslim-majority country but has national halal standards and certification upheld and implemented by government body the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). An agency linked to MUIS is now making a push to offer its halal expertise and services abroad, banking on Singapore’s halal standards and international reputation for good governance.

This Q&A is with Warees Halal Limited’s CEO Dewi Hartaty Suratty.

Q1. Warees Halal Limited is the only agency authorised by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) to provide halal capacity building programmes and international certification based on the Singapore MUIS Halal Quality Management System. Does this mean there are no other such bodies in Singapore and Warees has the monopoly in providing these services?