MELAKA — Hotels in Melaka are permitted to continue displaying Christmas decorations, with restrictions applying only to kitchens and restaurants that hold halal certification, according to an official statement. The Melaka education, higher learning and religious affairs committee chairman clarified that there is no blanket ban on festive decorations in hotel premises, and hotel managements are free to decorate areas that do not carry halal certification, such as lobbies and common spaces.
The restrictions are strictly limited to food preparation areas and dining outlets with halal certification, in accordance with the Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia (Domestik) 2020. Decorative displays or symbols related to religious celebrations are not allowed in kitchens and main dining areas of halal-certified restaurants to safeguard the integrity of halal status and prevent consumer confusion.
The measure is intended to ensure clarity in halal certification and to avoid any advertising or decoration that contradicts Islamic principles or could negatively affect Malaysia’s halal certification. However, there are no restrictions on festive decorations for Christmas or other celebrations such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, or Deepavali in areas of hotels that are not halal-certified.
Officials emphasized that the approach is not meant to deny anyone the right to celebrate their festivities but to preserve halal certification integrity and maintain harmony in Malaysia’s multiracial and multireligious society. Compliance with halal certification requirements is compulsory once certification is obtained, but certification itself is not mandatory.