Kesedaran Pengusaha Restoran India Muslim terhadap Pengurusan Persekitaran Halal dan Toyyiban di Malaysia: Suatu Kajian Kualitatif

Awareness of Indian Muslim Restaurant Operators Towards Halal and Tayyiban Environmental Management in Malaysia: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Kajian ini meneliti aspek kesedaran pengusaha restoran India Muslim terhadap pengurusan persekitaran halal dan toyyiban di Malaysia. Isu ini semakin mendapat perhatian memandangkan peningkatan permintaan terhadap makanan luar serta kebimbangan pengguna Muslim terhadap status halal dan kebersihan premis makanan. Walaupun pensijilan halal dikawal selia oleh Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) melalui piawaian MS1500:2019, masih terdapat pengusaha restoran yang belum memahami sepenuhnya keperluan pengurusan persekitaran berdasarkan prinsip halalan toyyiban. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui temu bual separa berstruktur yang melibatkan sepuluh pengusaha restoran India Muslim di Mukim Kajang, Selangor. Data dianalisis menggunakan kaedah analisis tematik bagi mengenal pasti pola kesedaran, amalan dan cabaran yang dihadapi oleh pengusaha dalam melaksanakan pengurusan halal di premis masing-masing. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa tahap kesedaran pengusaha terhadap konsep halal secara umum adalah tinggi, namun pemahaman terhadap dimensi toyyiban masih bersifat asas dan tertumpu pada aspek kebersihan luaran. Cabaran utama yang dikenal pasti termasuk kekangan birokrasi dalam permohonan sijil halal, kekurangan latihan dan kurangnya pemantauan berterusan. Kajian ini menegaskan keperluan memperkukuh latihan, pendidikan halal dan garis panduan praktikal bagi membantu pengusaha memahami serta mengaplikasikan prinsip halalan toyyiban secara menyeluruh. Hasil kajian diharap dapat dijadikan rujukan oleh agensi kerajaan seperti JAKIM dan Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia dalam merangka strategi pembangunan industri halal yang lebih mampan dan beretika.

This study examines the awareness of Indian Muslim restaurant operators toward halal and toyyiban environmental management in Malaysia. The issue has gained increasing attention due to the growing demand for dining out and the concerns among Muslim consumers regarding the halal status and hygiene of food premises. Although halal certification is regulated by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) under the MS1500:2019 standard, many restaurant operators still lack a comprehensive understanding of environmental management based on halalan toyyiban principles. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with ten Indian Muslim restaurant operators in Mukim Kajang, Selangor. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns of awareness, practices, and challenges in implementing halal management within their establishments. Findings indicate that while the overall awareness of halal concepts is high, understanding of the toyyiban dimension remains basic and focused primarily on external cleanliness. The main challenges identified include bureaucratic hurdles in halal certification, insufficient training, and inconsistent monitoring. The study highlights the importance of strengthening halal education, practical training, and environmental management guidelines to ensure a holistic application of halalan toyyiban principles. The findings are expected to serve as a reference for government agencies such as JAKIM and the Ministry of Health in formulating more sustainable and ethical strategies for the halal industry.