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Tag: #CocaColaBottlersMalaysia

  • MEMPERKUKUH JAMINAN HALAL DALAM INDUSTRI PEMBUATAN YANG SEMAKIN PESAT

    Bagi pengguna di Malaysia, label halal bukan sekadar tanda pada pembungkusan, malah menjadi sumber keyakinan terhadap ramuan, proses pengeluaran dan cara sesuatu produk dihasilkan. Jaminan tersebut bermula sejak peringkat awal pembuatan sebelum produk sampai ke tangan pengguna, menjadikan pematuhan halal sebagai satu tanggungjawab yang perlu dipelihara secara berterusan.

    Dalam industri pembuatan produk halal, pensijilan merupakan salah satu daripada usaha memastikan status halal sesuatu produk terus terjamin. Proses tersebut memerlukan kawalan yang konsisten setiap hari, bermula daripada pemilihan ramuan dan pengurusan pembekal sehingga kepada proses pengeluaran serta semakan apabila berlaku sebarang perubahan dalam operasi.

    Keperluan ini menjadi semakin penting apabila sesebuah operasi pembuatan berkembang dari segi kapasiti, rangkaian bekalan dan jumlah tenaga kerja. Setiap ramuan, pembekal dan kaedah pengeluaran baharu perlu memenuhi keperluan halal yang sama walaupun operasi menjadi semakin kompleks. Situasi ini dapat dilihat menerusi operasi hab pembuatan dan pengedaran Coca-Cola Bottlers Malaysia di Bandar Enstek, yang telah beroperasi selama 15 tahun sejak memulakan pengeluaran pada 15 Mac 2011. Dalam tempoh tersebut, keupayaan pembuatan serta jumlah tenaga kerjanya telah berkembang dengan ketara.

    Sepanjang operasi, proses pembuatan perlu mematuhi keperluan dan panduan halal Malaysia, termasuk yang ditetapkan oleh JAKIM serta pihak berkuasa berkaitan, di samping memenuhi piawaian kawalan kualiti, keselamatan dan pembuatan. Apabila operasi berkembang, aspek pemilihan ramuan, hubungan dengan pembekal dan proses pengeluaran menjadi semakin saling berkaitan. Sebarang perubahan dalam satu aspek berpotensi memberi kesan kepada aspek lain, menjadikan pertimbangan halal penting sejak peringkat awal sesuatu keputusan dibuat.

    Pendekatan ini turut memainkan peranan ketika berlaku gangguan terhadap operasi. Perancangan kesinambungan perniagaan membolehkan pengilang mengenal pasti bekalan atau kaedah pengeluaran alternatif lebih awal, selain memastikan pilihan tersebut memenuhi keperluan halal yang sama. Perancangan sedemikian membantu syarikat bertindak balas terhadap gangguan tanpa menjejaskan jaminan halal produk akhir.

    Namun, sistem pematuhan halal yang berkesan turut bergantung kepada manusia yang melaksanakannya. Pekerja perlu memahami tanggungjawab masing-masing, mengetahui apabila sesuatu keputusan perlu disemak serta saluran yang sesuai untuk mendapatkan panduan apabila timbul persoalan berkaitan halal. Pada masa yang sama, organisasi perlu menyediakan persekitaran yang mengambil kira keperluan agama pekerja dan membantu mereka menunaikan tanggungjawab tersebut.

    Di Bandar Enstek, pembinaan sebuah surau baharu yang lebih besar telah dimulakan pada 2023 bagi menampung keperluan lebih ramai pekerja Muslim. Kemudahan tersebut melengkapkan ruang solat sedia ada dan membolehkan pekerja menunaikan kewajipan agama sepanjang waktu bekerja. Pada bulan Ramadan, pekerja turut terlibat dalam aktiviti kemasyarakatan seperti pengagihan bakul makanan kepada masyarakat sekitar serta majlis berbuka puasa tahunan. Syarikat juga bekerjasama dengan Pusat Zakat Negeri Sembilan bagi meningkatkan kesedaran dan perkongsian ilmu berkaitan zakat.

    Komitmen terhadap ekosistem halal turut diperluaskan ke luar tempat kerja melalui penglibatan dalam komuniti dan platform industri. Wakil syarikat memegang jawatan sebagai Pengerusi Komuniti Halal Negeri Sembilan serta merupakan ahli aktif Kumpulan Kerja Halal di bawah Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM). Penglibatan ini membolehkan syarikat menyumbang kepada perbincangan industri dan usaha memperkukuh pematuhan halal, selain menyokong inisiatif Transformasi Ekosistem Halal (TEH) yang bertujuan memperkukuh serta menambah baik ekosistem pensijilan halal Malaysia.

    Komitmen tersebut turut menerima pengiktirafan apabila jenama berkenaan menerima Halal Asia Brand Award 2019 bagi kategori Minuman Ringan Terbaik. Selain pengiktirafan, wakil syarikat turut terlibat dalam forum halal sebagai ahli panel untuk berkongsi perspektif industri mengenai kesedaran halal, cabaran pensijilan serta pendekatan syarikat multinasional dalam memenuhi keperluan halal. Perkongsian ilmu turut diperluaskan kepada pelajar melalui sesi industri bagi memberi pendedahan kepada bakal profesional dalam bidang halal.

    Pengalaman di Bandar Enstek mencerminkan realiti yang lebih luas dalam industri pembuatan halal. Apabila sesebuah kilang berkembang, rantaian bekalan menjadi lebih luas dan jumlah tenaga kerja bertambah, keperluan untuk mengekalkan pematuhan halal di setiap peringkat operasi turut menjadi semakin penting. Ia memerlukan sistem yang jelas, proses yang konsisten, pekerja yang memahami tanggungjawab masing-masing serta sokongan yang mencukupi di tempat kerja.

    Pada akhirnya, jaminan halal bukan sekadar bergantung kepada sijil yang dimiliki, tetapi kepada keupayaan sesebuah organisasi untuk memastikan prinsip dan keperluan halal diterapkan secara konsisten dalam operasi hariannya. Dengan pendekatan yang menyeluruh, industri pembuatan bukan sahaja dapat mengekalkan pematuhan, malah terus membina keyakinan pengguna terhadap produk halal yang dihasilkan.

  • STRENGTHENING HALAL ASSURANCE IN AN EVOLVING MANUFACTURING LANDSCAPE

    For Malaysian consumers, the Halal label represents more than a certification mark. It provides assurance that products meet established Halal requirements throughout the manufacturing journey, with decisions surrounding ingredients, suppliers, production processes and operational controls all playing a role in maintaining that trust.

    As manufacturing operations become more complex, maintaining Halal assurance requires businesses to look beyond certification alone. Every stage of production needs to be supported by consistent controls and informed decision-making, particularly when manufacturers introduce new ingredients, engage different suppliers or make changes to existing production arrangements.

    Coca-Cola Bottlers Malaysia’s manufacturing and distribution hub in Bandar Enstek provides an example of how Halal assurance is integrated into an expanding manufacturing environment. The facility has been operating since 15 March 2011, and over the past 15 years, its manufacturing capabilities and workforce have continued to grow. With this expansion comes the need to ensure that Halal requirements remain consistently embedded across the operation.

    Across the manufacturing process, practices must remain aligned with applicable Malaysian Halal requirements and guidance, including those issued by JAKIM and other relevant authorities, alongside established standards for quality, safety and manufacturing. As operations expand, decisions relating to ingredients, suppliers and production processes become increasingly interconnected, making it important for Halal considerations to be incorporated from the earliest stages of planning and review.

    This approach is particularly relevant when manufacturers face unexpected disruptions. Business continuity planning enables companies to identify alternative suppliers, materials or production arrangements in advance while ensuring that the same Halal requirements are applied to contingency plans. By considering Halal assurance as part of preparedness, manufacturers can respond to operational challenges while maintaining confidence in the finished product.

    People also remain central to the effectiveness of Halal assurance systems. Employees need to understand their responsibilities, recognise situations that require further assessment and know where to seek guidance when questions arise. Supporting employees’ religious needs can further contribute to a workplace environment where Halal responsibilities are understood and upheld as part of everyday operations.

    At the Enstek facility, this commitment is reflected through the development of a larger surau, which began in 2023 to provide greater capacity for Muslim employees. Building on the existing prayer facilities at the site, the new purpose-built space provides employees with a dedicated area to fulfil their religious obligations during working hours. The company also supports Ramadan initiatives, including food basket distributions for surrounding communities and annual Iftar gatherings, while working with the Negeri Sembilan Zakat Centre on zakat awareness and knowledge-sharing programmes.

    The company’s involvement also extends beyond its own operations to the wider Halal ecosystem. Through its representative, who serves as Chairman of the Negeri Sembilan Halal Community and is an active member of the Halal Working Group under the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), the business contributes to industry discussions and initiatives aimed at strengthening Halal practices.

    It also supports the Transformation Ecosystem Halal (TEH) initiative, which seeks to strengthen and enhance Malaysia’s Halal certification ecosystem. Such participation highlights the role manufacturers can play not only in maintaining Halal requirements within their own facilities but also in contributing to broader industry knowledge and development.

    The company’s commitment to Halal practices was further recognised when the brand received the Halal Asia Brand Award 2019 for Best Soft Drink. Beyond industry recognition, its representatives have continued to participate in Halal forums as panellists, sharing practical perspectives on awareness, certification challenges and the approaches multinational manufacturers use to maintain Halal requirements.

    Engagement with the next generation is another part of this effort, with representatives participating in industry talks and sharing real-world experiences with students interested in the Halal sector. Through these engagements, manufacturers can help strengthen awareness and knowledge while encouraging future professionals to understand the practical responsibilities involved in maintaining Halal assurance.

    The experience at Enstek reflects a broader reality for Halal manufacturing in Malaysia. As facilities, supply chains and workforces continue to evolve, maintaining consumer confidence requires Halal requirements to be carried through every part of the manufacturing process. Clear systems, informed employees, responsible decision-making and supportive workplaces collectively help ensure that Halal assurance remains embedded in daily operations.

    Ultimately, the confidence represented by the Halal label is supported not by certification alone, but by the consistent practices and people behind it. As manufacturing continues to evolve, maintaining that assurance requires businesses to continually integrate Halal considerations into their operations, planning and wider engagement with the industry and community.