Halal Issues: The Need for a Balanced Discourse

Perhaps the interest and public curiosity on halal matters can be understood if placed in the context of increasing religiosity both globally and in Singapore, as well as the growing demand for halal food and services. After all, many countries now regard the halal industry as a global market force, as the global halal food business boom is currently estimated to be worth over US$1.1 trillion (SG$1.37 trillion). There is tremendous room for growth and the market is expected to grow to a staggering US$10 trillion (SG$13.7 trillion) by 2030². Locally, MUIS’s annual reports show a similar upward trend as its halal certification operating income has more than doubled over five years – growing from about $2.98 million in 2013³ to $6.59 million in 2017⁴.

However, the placement of the story on the prime location of Page 1 and the extremely narrow views presented led many netizens to question i) whether the story was even newsworthy of publication and attention especially on Page 1 and ii) the validity of the claim that Muslims were “upset” at the lack of halal options as the single narrative and response on this matter.

A Flurry of Responses

Thankfully, while there was a flurry of responses on the issue, the tone that netizens took was largely measured and the views were mostly rational. The general sentiment was that the news report was not reflective of the Muslim community in Singapore as there were diverse views among Muslims, and this was not captured in TNP’s portrayal of the issue. There were also comments on how widely available halal food options are outside of the cinema hence even if snack counters at cinemas were not halal, it did not mean that Muslim cinemagoers were deprived of options in general.

One of the strongest and most candid responses came from an online website, Halalfoodhunt, which put up an 8-minute video⁵ on the issue where its Managing Director, Nur Jumaiyah Mahathir, shared sentiments and responses collected through a 24-hour poll among their followers. Nur Jumaiyah categorised the views into six different types of responses on the matter and highlighted the diversity of reactions that exists, contrary to TNP’s monolithic portrayal of perspectives on the matter. Among other things, Jumaiyah said that cinemagoers should not force their needs and views on others and that businesses are not obliged to serve the halal market. After all, as MUIS mentioned, halal certification is voluntary for all businesses. Jumaiyah proceeded to share various ways one could deal with the matter, such as eating elsewhere before a movie or having popcorn and drinks which can be bought at stalls without a halal certificate.

She reserved her strongest words for the newspaper saying that the report “made Muslims look like a very difficult bunch of people to deal with” and that most of the views the website obtained showed a “really tolerant and graceful group of people who are OK with things not being halal because they know they have halal options elsewhere”. She opined that the “one-sided report” left Muslims embarrassed, and it was not representative of the diverse views that people had on the issue. In that short video, Nur Jumaiyah not only provided an honest and diverse range of views on the matter, she also managed to convey a strong message using a tone that was not offensive. In fact, she even injected some humour in her delivery. This leaves us to ponder, what lessons can we learn from this incident?

Higher Standards for Journalists

For the media, regardless of whether it is traditional or online media – the first question would be whether a lead is newsworthy or not. If it is newsworthy, is it a sensitive topic? In what context are we running this story? In this instance, the article was published several weeks after a series of fairly explosive online reactions to an announcement that Subway Singapore’s application to become halal had just been approved. The issue on Subway’s halal application had been simmering since early 2018 (31 January) when MUIS confirmed Subway’s interest in obtaining halal certificates for its Singapore outlets. The confirmation of Subway’s halal status in August led to polarising views on the matter. While many cheered the move, others jeered Subway and lamented their lack of access to fast-food that serves pork options.

Food, something which usually unites Singaporeans, had become a divisive factor. It is therefore worth considering whether running yet another story on the halal issue soon after this incident, especially with the prominence given on Page 1, would ignite another round of fierce debate that can cause further social tension. In evaluating the position of the media in society, there is a fine line between reporting on an issue that is current and in “the public’s interest”, and reporting on an issue that will further fuel division in society. The media must take care to tread this line carefully and err on the side of responsibility. If the editorial decision is to run the story, a wider range of opinions should be sought for a more representative view, so that there is a balanced discourse on the matter.

Observing Good Etiquette

For netizens engaging on various online websites and platforms, it is useful to remember that respect is not a one-way street and that we live in a heterogeneous society which values diversity as a point of strength. While discussions on this particular incident was fairly rational and measured, there were other instances where discussions were fiery and emotional. The importance of having good internet etiquette or “Netiquette” is sometimes underrated. While heated debates can be exciting, it is important to apply the same standards online as we do in public – in other words, values that are cherished in daily life should be upheld online too, such as courtesy, kindness, responsibility and respect. Should there be abusive comments, one could always choose to refrain from adding fuel to the fire, or step in to moderate extremist and exclusivist views. If discussions get too heated, leave. If the issue is presented in a narrow manner, one could provide different perspectives that are more representative of society. Lastly, discussions online can be meaningful and insightful if netizens uphold the golden rule of online communication, which according to some, is “tweet others the say you want to be tweeted”.