Jakarta. Indonesia has postponed the mandatory halal certification deadline for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by two years to 2028, as many businesses have yet to meet the requirements and struggle with the administrative burden of obtaining certification.

MSME Minister Maman Abdurrahman said on Sunday that President Prabowo Subianto had ordered the postponement of the deadline, which expired on Oct. 18, 2026, after the government acknowledged that its certification target had not been met.

Speaking after attending the inauguration of Golkar Party executives in South Sulawesi in Makassar, Maman said many business owners had raised concerns about the timing of the requirement and the difficulty of preparing the necessary administrative documents.

“The president understands that many MSMEs have raised concerns, and the target has not been achieved. Many business owners also feel the timing is not right because verifying requirements and preparing administrative documents remain a significant burden. Therefore, the deadline has been postponed by two years,” Maman said.

He stressed that the postponement does not eliminate the halal certification requirement, which stems from legislation enacted in 2014 rather than a new policy introduced under Prabowo’s administration.

“The halal certification requirement is not a program introduced under President Prabowo. It is mandated by a law enacted in 2014, with the deadline set for Oct. 18, 2026,” he said.

Maman said the government would use the additional time to develop a mechanism that balances the legal obligation to certify halal products with the financial and administrative capabilities of small businesses.

The government is seeking a middle ground that allows the regulation to be implemented without placing excessive burdens on MSMEs, he added.

“The mechanism must reconcile the legal requirement for halal certification with the actual capabilities of MSMEs. We must ensure that it does not become a burden for them. We are still reviewing the options and hope to find the best approach in the coming period,” Maman said.

The revised deadline is intended to give businesses more time to prepare while allowing the government to refine implementation measures. The government has yet to announce further details of the proposed mechanism.

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