DAP lawmaker Teresa Kok has found herself at the centre of controversy after expressing concerns over a proposal recently revealed by Religious Affairs Minister Mohd Na’im Mokhtar. The proposal suggests that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) would make halal certification mandatory for restaurants and food companies that do not serve pork and alcohol.

Kok feared that this proposal, which caught many by surprise, could impose a heavy burden, especially financial, on businesses, including thousands of Malay restaurant operators.