Halal issue will be left to “simmer down”: Keheliya

Extending their inaction on the Halal controversy, Government Spokes-man Minister Keheliya Rambuk-wella yesterday insisted that the best course to take was to wait for the standoff to “simmer down”.

Responding to questions on why the Government has not taken any steps to end the Halal standoff yet, Rambukwella expressed confidence that the issue would simmer down on its own and reiterated the stance of not taking over the Halal certification process.

When questioned by the Daily FT as to the dangers of letting it “simmer,” which has resulted in attacks on mosques, protests and other disruptive behaviour, Rambukwella remarked that the Police would provide adequate security to stop vigilante behaviour. “We consider taking the Halal process under the Government to be a highly unnecessary step. If the demands to take it under the Government continue, we will consider it, but at the moment we have no plans to absorb it into the standardisation institution or open a new department for it,” he said.

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This sparked more questions on whether the current rift would result in ethnic disharmony and open conflict. The Minister responded by stressing that the Government would not allow the situation to deteriorate to such depths and emphasised that the country would remain unified.