February 21, 2026 | 03:11 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Chair of Fatwa Division at Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Asrorun Ni'am Sholeh, stated that American goods entering Indonesia do not require halal certification under a trade agreement between the Indonesian government and the United States.
However, he mentioned that products entering Indonesia must have halal certification. The requirement for halal certification is nonnegotiable, even for the U.S. government. This obligation is regulated in Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance.
"The law stipulates that all products entering and circulating in Indonesia must have halal certification," he said in an official statement on MUI Digital on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
He stated that the halal product assurance rule is a protection of human rights, especially the right to practice religion. The principles of trade in muamalah jurisprudence do not depend on the trading partners but on the rules of the game.
According to him, Indonesia can engage in trade transactions with any country. However, these transactions must be conducted with mutual respect and benefit, free from political pressure.
He mentioned that he had traveled to several U.S. states to cooperate with the Halal Institution. During his visit, Ni'am noted that the country recognizes the halal certification system.
"If America talks about human rights, then the issue of halal certification is part of the implementation of respect and acknowledgment of the most fundamental human right, namely the right to practice religion," he said.
According to Ni'am, consuming halal products is a religious obligation. This obligation cannot be negotiated or bartered for a price. "For example, we buy cheap goods, but they are not halal. Even if given for free, if it's not halal, it cannot be consumed," he said.
However, Ni'am proposed a compromise in technical aspects. These aspects include administrative simplification, transparency in reporting, cost efficiency, and processing time. However, the essence of halal cannot be compromised.
He also urged the public not to buy non-halal products. "Avoid non-halal food products as well as those with unclear halal status, including non-compliant U.S. products," he said.
The Indonesian government and the U.S. officially signed a reciprocal trade agreement, the Agreement of Reciprocal Trade (ART), in Washington, D.C., on Friday morning, February 20, 2026.
One of the agreements pertains to the exemption from halal certification and labeling requirements for a number of U.S. products in Indonesia, such as cosmetics, medical devices, and manufactured goods. Conversely, Indonesia will allow halal certification institutions recognized by the U.S. national halal authority to certify imported products without additional requirements.
Read: List of Indonesia, US Obligations Under New Reciprocal Trade Deal
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