The Statement
AAP FactCheck examined a Facebook post from July 12, 2019 by Fair Dinkum Mate 2 featuring a photo of a can of stewed pork with a halal certified logo on the label. Beneath the image the caption reads: “Halal Certified Pork – Anyone still not sure halal is a scam?”
Fair Dinkum Mate 2 is a backup page for the original Fair Dinkum Mate page which was “closed down by Facebook”, according to a post on the page on March 2018. The post states: “Please feel free to pop over to Fair Dinkum Mate 3 and give it a like, in preparation for the day that Facebook will also shut down Fair Dinkum Mate 2… and they will… For it seems we are not allowed to express conservative, political views that go against the narrative of the United Nations New World Order…So if you are in favour of free speech then I hope you enjoy this page… Cheers…”
The post about the halal pork had been shared more than 310 times and attracted more than 40 comments and 240 reactions.
The Analysis
The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) states it is the only central Islamic body that holds key representation from Australian-based Muslim clerics in all States and Territories, with 200 registered Imams country-wide.
According to the ANIC, halal is an Arabic word which means permissible or lawful based on Islamic Law, known as Shari’ah. In dietary standards, halal refers to food and beverages Muslims are permitted to consume. This is done through the ritual method in which animals are slaughtered called Zibah or Zabihah. The opposite of halal is haram, which means unlawful or forbidden.
Pork in the Islamic faith is considered especially haram because it is viewed as unclean and according to the Koran, “He [Allah] has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.”
Australian National University doctor Shakira Hussein wrote about the campaign against halal certification in a University of Melbourne research journal saying, “Muslim‐minority societies reveal the shift in the representation of Muslims from a visible, alien presence to a hidden, covert threat”.
“Supporters of the campaign against halal certification described it as a ‘religious tax’ which effectively forced non‐Muslims to subsidise Muslim dietary choices, despite clarifications from business leaders that the decision to seek certification was taken on strictly commercial grounds in order to expand their market and obtain export deals,” Dr Hussein wrote. “Disgust arises from the discovery that the Muslim Other has infiltrated and usurped our’ food without our knowledge and consent.”
A spokesperson from Ing Lee (E.M.) Trading, the manufacturer of the canned stewed pork featured in the Facebook post, told AAP FactCheck the image “does not depict its brand King Ma Liang”.
“Our [stewed pork] product is strictly non halal. We follow strict guidelines,” the spokesperson said. “It looks manipulated. My original picture of the product does not have Halal logo at all.”
The spokesperson directed AAP FactCheck to the company website which displays images of its canned meat products where there was an image of the canned stewed pork shown in the Facebook post – minus a halal certification logo.
The company does make other products with Halal certification, including some canned fish products and vermicelli noodles.
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), which oversees halal certification, released a statement in Malay on Facebook in January 2017 denying it ever issued a halal logo for a “haram product” Pork is a haram product.
JAKIM had issued the same statement three times before, in September 2015, November 2015 and again in June 2016. According to a Google translation of the statement, JAKIM was alerted by complainants about two locations alleged selling a stewed pork product with a halal certification logo. Its investigation “did NOT find the product on the market”.
“JAKIM did not rule out the possibility that it was an image that was intentionally edited by placing the Halal logo,” the translated statement read.
Accompanying the Facebook statement was a can of stewed pork with a halal certification logo on it and a red sign reading: “PALSU!” which translates to “False!”. Underneath there was an image of cans of stewed pork with no halal certification logo with a red sign reading “SEBENAR” which translates to “Exactly”.
The Verdict
Based on this evidence, AAP FactCheck found the Facebook post which shows a can of stewed pork with a halal certification logo on its label to be false. The photo had been altered to include the halal certification.
False – The Facebook post is false.
* AAP FactCheck is accredited by the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network, which promotes best practice through a stringent and transparent Code of Principles. https://aap.com.au/
First published July 30, 2019 13:35 AEST
