Posts target popular Malaysian biscuit brand with false non-halal claim
- Published on April 10, 2026 at 07:40
- 2 min read
- By Najmi MAMAT, AFP Malaysia
Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development revoked the halal certification of a biscuit factory in early April 2026, but it was not Hup Seng, a popular local brand of cream crackers, as some social media posts claimed. Instead, the company that got its halal status withdrawn has a similar name -- Tian Hup Seng Biscuit Factory, known for producing traditional pastries. According to a government site, Hup Seng still retains its certification and the company released a statement calling the claim "inaccurate and misleading".
"This factory has been confirmed by JAKIM (Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development) to have violated halal status by using brushes made from pig's hair," says the Malay-language text embedded into an image of Hup Seng's cream crackers shared on Facebook on April 5.
"If you have bought or kept any at home, please throw them away or give them to non-Muslims."
About two-thirds of Malaysia's 34 million population are Muslims who must observe halal dietary standards, which prohibit pork, alcohol and other meat that has not been slaughtered according to Islamic rites (archived link).
Concern over halal certification has frequently stirred debate in the country, often with accusations directed at non‑Muslim companies.
AFP has previously debunked similar claims involving a stock cube brand, cooking oil, sausages, beverage producers, and the international coffee chain Starbucks.
JAKIM announced on April 4 that halal certification was revoked for a coffee factory and a biscuit factory in Malacca state after brushes with pig‑bristle characteristics were discovered on the premises (archived link).
The false claim about Hup Seng also surfaced elsewhere on Facebook and Instagram, but it is not the biscuit factory that lost its certification, with posts appearing to confuse it with a different company.
While JAKIM did not mention the biscuit factory's name, searches on the database of Halal Malaysia -- the government agency responsible for the certification -- show the only Malacca-based brand with "Hup Seng" in its name is a producer known as Tian Hup Seng Biscuit Factory Sdn Bhd (archived link).
It is also the sole company-- with a similar name -- that has its halal certification revoked (archived link).
The company behind the popular cream crackers brand, Hup Seng Perusahaan Makanan (M) Sdn Bhd (HSPM) based in Johor state, is an entirely different entity and it retains its halal certification (archived here and here).
A back view of the biscuit container also identifies the company's full name as "Hup Seng Perusahaan Makanan" (HSPM) (archived link).
The company also released a statement dated April 7 clarifying that its halal certification "remains valid" (archived link).
"HSPM is aware that certain social media posts and online publications have erroneously used images of HSPM's products in connection with reports on this matter. This has caused public confusion, and we wish to unequivocally state that such publication is inaccurate and misleading," it said.
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