KOTA BARU: Those who smuggle in and distribute non-halal meat for Muslim consumption in Malaysia will bear the sin for doing so, Kelantan Mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad said today.
"If a (Muslim) person knows that the food in his hands is non-halal and purposely distributes it to others, he will bear the sins of his actions.
"But it will be a different story if he does not know it is haram."
Mohamad Shukri said consumers who knowingly ingest haram food would also bear the sin for doing so.
"Pretending to be ignorant of the real status (halal or haram) of food is also a sin. Therefore, Muslims should not take this matter lightly," he said.
He said the "carefree" attitude among Muslims when purchasing food items has spurred the smuggling of haram meat.
"Muslims must be more discerning when buying food. There is always a need to check on the food's halal status."
The New Straits Times recently reported how officers in at least four government agencies were bribed by a meat cartel to ensure that its supply of non-certified meat entered the country and bypassed checks.
A source said by importing non-certified meat and mixing it with meat from legitimate sources, the cartel profited from avoiding taxes and duties as well as the costs involved in the halal-certification process.
The report stated that the cartel's activities had been going on for 40 years.