‌Head of BPJPH: Ensuring Halal Compliance of Imported Products, Realizing National Independence and Dignity

Jakarta — The Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) issues BPJPH Regulation No. 4 of 2026 concerning the Verification of Conformity of Overseas Halal Products Entering the Territory of Indonesia. This regulation serves as a critical measure to strengthen Indonesia's capacity to ensure that every overseas halal product entering and circulating in Indonesia complies with the provisions of the Halal Product Assurance system.

This policy is not merely concerned with confirming the halal status of a product. More importantly, halal verification is part of the efforts to strengthen national independence and prestige, safeguard public interests, and build healthy food sovereignty.

Ahmad Haikal Hasan, Head of BPJPH (affectionately known as Babe Haikal), stated that as a country with a large market, Indonesia must have the capacity to define and enforce standards for every product circulating within its territory.

"Halal product verification is an integral part of national sovereignty. Indonesia is open to products from all countries, but this openness must be accompanied by our ability to ensure that imported products meet the standards and provisions in force in Indonesia," Babe Haikal remarked at a press conference held at the BPJPH Building in Jakarta on Saturday (5/9/2026).

According to Babe Haikal, Indonesia must not merely serve as a market for products from various countries. It must also possess the capacity to regulate, verify, and supervise imported products to ensure compliance with national provisions.

"We must not be just a market. We must have the ability to ensure that imported products comply with the provisions of the Halal Product Assurance Law. This is part of national independence and prestige, aimed at protecting the lives and well-being of the public while building a robust national halal ecosystem," he emphasized.

Babe Haikal emphasized that independence does not mean closing off from international trade. Foreign products can still enter Indonesia as long as they comply with the applicable provisions. With clear regulations, both domestic and foreign products operate under the same framework of Halal Product Assurance rules. This creates regulatory certainty while ensuring fair protection for the public.

"Therefore, halal verification is not a trade barrier. On the contrary, it is our way to build orderly, fair, and responsible trade, while also delivering protection to the public," Babe Haikal clarified.

Halal verification also carries great significance in building food sovereignty. Food sovereignty is not only about food availability, but also about the country's capacity to ensure that circulating food meets standards that offer protection and peace of mind for the public.

"The food we consume must not only be available. It must also meet standards that make the public feel safe, healthy, high-quality, and halal. That is why the Halal Product Assurance system is a key component in building our food sovereignty," Babe Haikal stated.

For the public, clear halal status provides certainty when choosing products for consumption. For business actors, compliance with halal standards brings operational certainty, while also creating added value and enhancing product competitiveness.

Strengthening this system also drives the growth of the national halal ecosystem. From certification, examination, testing, inspection, to various supporting services for Halal Product Assurance, all segments hold the potential to generate new economic activities and added value.

Therefore, the issuance of BPJPH Regulation No. 4 of 2026 not only reinforces the regulatory dimension, but also forms part of the efforts to build an increasingly robust, credible national halal ecosystem that can adapt to the dynamics of global trade.

This regulation aligns with the mandate of Law No. 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance, which requires all products entering, circulating, and being traded in Indonesian territory to hold a halal certificate. This provision was further strengthened through Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024 on the Administration of Halal Product Assurance Sector, which stipulates the phased implementation of halal certification obligations based on product categories.

In the implementation of the Mandatory Halal regime in October 2026, the conformity verification of overseas halal products becomes a critical component to ensure imported products circulating in Indonesia meet the applicable provisions. Recognition of foreign halal certificates, conformity verification mechanisms, and supervision form part of the governance framework designed to deliver certainty for both the public and business communities.

"We aspire for Indonesia to be an independent and dignified nation. Open to global trade, yet still capable of defining and enforcing its own domestic standards. When our halal system is strong, the public is protected, businesses gain regulatory certainty, circulating food meets halal and health standards, and the national halal industry grows increasingly robust," Babe Haikal concluded.