REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs And Cosmetics (LPPOM) of Indonesian Board of Ulama (MUI), working together with Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, plans to develop Islamic tourism and provide halal certification.

"The demand for halal tourism is high. The destination as well as the food and beverages must be halal," Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Nirwandar, said on Tuesday during the anniversary of LPPOM MUI.

Based on independent survey conducted by LPPOM MUI, public interest on halal products was only 70 percent in 2009. A year later, it surged into 92.2 percent and kept increasing for the last two year.

Seeing the condition, the Head of Halal Information in LPPOM MUI, Farid Mahmud, said Indonesia was potential to be the leader of Islamic tourism as long as Indonesia enhanced its service and also monitored companies which already had halal certificate. 

Director of LPPOM MUI, Lukmanul Hakim, said only small numbers of companies interested on halal certificate. Until 2012, only 97,903 products that have obtained halal certificate. 

The lack of understanding and concern is the cause. They believe that as long as they do not sell pork, their food is halal.

The Head of Fatwa MUI, Ma'aruf Amin, said the halal certification must be a mandatory. In addition, LPPOM MUI will intensify unannounced inspections towards companies which have already obtained halal certificate.

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