Most people treat Malaysian halal certification as a domestic matter. JAKIM's own directory says otherwise: 189 companies with addresses outside Malaysia hold a record in it.
The distribution is the striking part. 136 of the 189 — nearly three-quarters — are based in Singapore.
The numbers
| Country | Companies |
|---|---|
| Singapore | 136 |
| Japan | 5 |
| Indonesia | 5 |
| Philippines | 4 |
| Australia | 3 |
| Taiwan | 2 |
| Hong Kong | 2 |
| United States | 2 |
| Thailand | 1 |
| Canada | 1 |
| United Kingdom | 1 |
| New Zealand | 1 |
| Netherlands | 1 |
| Brunei | 1 |
| France | 1 |
| Cambodia | 1 |
| Myanmar | 1 |
| China | 1 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 |
| Country not stated in address | 19 |
Why Singapore dominates
Singapore has its own halal certification body, MUIS, which JAKIM recognises. Singaporean companies nonetheless apply for Malaysian certification separately. The reason is practical: Malaysia is a primary export market for them, and Malaysian retailers ask for Malaysian certification.
For a Malaysian company, the number means the competition on your shelf includes Singaporean producers who have been through the same process you have.
What they certify
Almost all of it is food and beverage — 179 of the 189 hold the PR category. Only eight hold the cosmetics category, and three consumer goods.
Not one holds the contract manufacturing (OEM) category. The directory carries foreign companies as product certificate holders, not as contract plants.
About these figures
Counted from JAKIM's own Halal Directory, captured on 5 August 2026. The directory changes as certificates are issued, renewed and expire, so a recount on a later date will differ. Nothing here is estimated: where a record does not state something, it is reported as not stated rather than filled in.