Journal of Halal Science and Technology

MANAGING HALAL LIFESTYLE IN RECREATIONAL TOURISM FROM CONSUMERS’ PERSPECTIVES

2024-05-30T07:10:07-05:00

The rising demand for diverse tourism options and the global blending of cultures significantly impacts economic growth and cultural exchange. Similarly, Halal tourism has attained significance within the global tourism sector. However, despite the variations in Halal goods and services, few destinations still encounter challenges due to limited accessibility or higher costs for Halal goods which potentially hindered the needs of Muslim travellers to be satisfied. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the various factors that affect Muslim travellers’ behaviour in managing their Halal lifestyle while travelling. A quantitative approach has been used as the research method of this study. A set of closed-ended questions was prepared for the online survey, and the collected data were analysed using a descriptive analysis method. The findings show that knowledge, religiosity, and willingness to pay are the main factors influencing consumer behaviour in lifestyle management when engaging in recreational tourism. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of these factors in facilitating a satisfactory travel experience, particularly for Muslim travellers. Therefore, it is recommended that future studies be conducted on larger samples with various religious backgrounds, examining the factors that may affect consumer behaviour in Halal tourism.

ANALYSING MUSLIM CONSUMERS PERCEPTION ON LOCAL HALAL MEAT IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

2025-03-13T11:15:46-05:00

The perception of Muslim consumers regarding local halal meat in Brunei Darussalam is particularly important, as it reflects their strong preference for locally produced meat. Therefore, for the halal meat industry in Brunei Darussalam to grow significantly and economically, producers of local halal meat and the government must understand consumers’ perceptions of local halal meat. This study emphasises selected aspects of Muslim consumers’ perceptions towards local halal meat, focusing on 4 protruding elements: price, halal logo, issues or doubts that arise, and advising consumers on purchasing meat. Thus, this study aims to analyse the level of Muslim consumers’ perception of local halal meat in Brunei Darussalam. Hence, to achieve this, a quantitative method was adopted, utilising convenience and snowball sampling methods to survey 170 respondents through a personal approach. The collected data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results revealed that Muslim consumers in Brunei Darussalam had a generally high level of perception towards local halal meat. This suggests that they are attentive to factors such as price, the presence of a halal logo, potential ambiguities related to halal status, and the importance of receiving proper guidance when purchasing meat. These concerns reflect their active interest and awareness in making informed decisions when buying local halal meat. This inadvertently conveys an essential signal to producers and the government to strengthen the halal meat industry in Brunei Darussalam by improving and addressing any gaps in producing meat that aligns with consumers’ preferences.

ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM’S HALAL SUPERVISOR QUALIFICATION

2025-03-24T03:28:53-05:00

The presence of halal food supervisors in halal-certified restaurants is crucial and is one of the requirements of halal certification. Additionally, the qualification assessment for halal food supervisors has increased scrutiny within the halal industry, especially in Brunei Darussalam. However, the issue of withdrawing halal certification was caused by the negligence of a few halal food supervisors, resulting in the revocation of the halal certificate after a restaurant was found to have breached halal certification standards, and this has raised doubts among the community. Therefore, this study aims to assess the qualification procedures of halal food supervisors by focusing on shariah aspect and technical competencies. A qualitative approach has been used for data collection involving five participants from Halal Food Control Division and Brunei Darussalam Food Authority that were involved in the semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis using NVivo software revealed two major themes, such as the regulatory and guideline framework, and strengthening compliance for food safety and hygiene. This study reveals that a comprehensive procedure guarantees supervisors are thoroughly assessed on their ability to adhere to halal standards and meanwhile the technical competencies include by implementing halalan thayyiban practices such as food safety and hygiene. Incorporating these competencies not only validates the supervisors’ expertise but also fosters trust among stakeholders, ensuring that the qualification process is reliable, ethical, and efficient.

RECONCEPTUALISING THE BRUNEI HALAL LOGO IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS

2025-04-06T00:08:39-05:00

This study investigates the role and function of the Brunei Halal Logo in food establishments in Brunei Darussalam, focusing on the perspectives of enforcement officers from the Halal Food Control Division, Ministry of Religious Affairs. Although halal certification is mandated under the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order, 2005, the display of the Brunei Halal Logo remains optional, leading to concerns about its effectiveness as a visual assurance of halal compliance for consumers. The main objective of this research is to examine how enforcement officers perceive the logo’s function, and to understand the behavioural factors influencing its regulatory use and potential future policy. Grounded in Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the study adopts a qualitative methodology comprising focus group interviews with officers and thematic analysis of the data. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework, comprising attitude, norms, perceived behavioural control, and intention, was used to interpret how institutional behaviours influence the status and implementation of the logo. Findings reveal four key functions of the Brunei Halal Logo: (1) enforcing compliance with the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order 2005; (2) providing assurance of halal integrity; (3) serving as a visible marker for halal-certified establishments; and (4) acting as a supplementary tool to the official halal certificate. The study identifies a regulatory gap, with enforcement officers recognising the logo’s potential to improve public trust and visibility. The study concludes that while the halal certificate remains the legal requirement, the Brunei Halal Logo has significant communicative and symbolic value. It recommends that policymakers consider mandating its display to enhance clarity in halal governance. This research contributes to the academic literature by applying TPB to a religious regulatory context, offering insights into the behavioural dimensions of halal enforcement in Brunei Darussalam.

HALAL VACCINES COMPLIANCE WITH BRUNEI'S GD 24:2010 STANDARD GUIDELINES

2025-07-11T12:11:04-05:00

The increasing demand for halal certified vaccines highlights the need to align pharmaceutical production with Islamic principles. This research evaluates vaccine production processes for compliance with the standards that were outlined in Brunei's GD 24:2010 standard guidelines. By analysing patents and reviewing halal certification practices, this research identifies challenges and opportunities in ensuring the permissibility of vaccines and possibility of certifying the vaccines as halal under shariah law. The findings of this research aims to provide insights for the regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and policymakers to bridge the gap in halal vaccine production and certification processes