KUALA LUMPUR: Five police reports have been lodged against Teresa Kok over her opposition to a proposal requiring all eateries that do not serve pork or alcohol to obtain halal certificates.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the police have received five police reports nationwide over the matter.
"We have opened an investigation under Section 298 and Section 505(b) of the Penalty Code as well as Section 233 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Act 1998.
"We will conduct the investigation as per standard operating procedure on cases involving a 3R (race, royalty, religion) matter," he said on Sunday (Sept 8).
He also advised the public to be mindful of their words.
"All citizens should embody the spirit of the Rukun Negara," he said.
It was reported that the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) was considering making halal certification compulsory for restaurants and food establishments that do not serve pork or alcohol.
Kok voiced her opposition to the proposal, saying that this could be a burden to small businesses and restricts consumer freedom.
On Tuesday (Sept 3), Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said that to enforce mandatory halal certification, several laws would need to be amended, adding that various agencies would need to be involved to ensure compliance.