Challenges of Halal Certification at Pahang: Insights from Halal Auditors in Kuantan

Halal certification has garnered considerable focus as an essential component of the worldwide halal industry. Nevertheless, the majority of research about halal certification predominantly emphasizes issues at the national level, so creating a deficiency in comprehending the challenges encountered by halal auditors at the state level. This study seeks to address the challenges encountered by auditors within the Halal Management Division of the Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP), a crucial entity in the execution of the Malaysian halal certification system. This study identified seven primary hurdles in the halal certification process in Pahang through semi-structured interviews with JAIP auditors, thereby emphasizing the local limits in the state. These findings enhance the current literature on the difficulties of halal certification and establish a basis for additional study focused on optimizing state-level halal certification procedures.