PETALING JAYA: McDonald’s Malaysia’s policy to only permit halal-certified birthday cakes into its premises is not one that is confined to Malaysia.

It is a policy that McDonald’s across the causeway in Singapore has been practising for over twenty years, according to Faz Hussen, McDonald's director of government relations and communications.

“While the consumption of outside food is typically not allowed in our restaurants, we make exceptions for birthday cakes although we ask that the cakes are from halal-certified restaurants or halal sources.

“This regulation was implemented in 1992, when all McDonald’s restaurants in Singapore received Halal certification from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS),” he said in a statement.

He added that McDonald’s Singapore provides birthday cakes as part of the birthday party packages the outlets offer.

“As a halal-certified restaurant, we need to adhere strictly to MUIS regulations to ensure the food we serve is halal and suitable for consumption for our Muslim friends,” he said.

McDonald’s Malaysia was the target of mixed criticism regarding a notice it had put up at outlets to inform customers that only halal-certified birthday cakes were allowed at its restaurants.

On Thursday, it released a statement to clarify that the policy was in line with fulfilling the requirements of its halal certification.

It later issued an apology for the misunderstanding over its notice but affirmed that it would persist with the policy as it needed to ensure that products consumed in its restaurants were certified halal by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).



