IT is fair to call the reduction in role of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in the issuance of halal (permitted for Muslims) certification tepid. With its reduced role, the MUI still determines whether or not to issue a halal certificate through a ruling, or fatwa. Since this certificate is required by the state, a non-government body like the MUI should not hold a monopoly of the process.

It is true that before the g