A Facebook post that was circulated a few years ago has been shared again by a social media user, claiming that a Malaysian Islamic preacher has said that Starbucks’ materials are haram, like pork. The false claim was sent in 2007 and was shared again on December 31, 2022, with a picture of Ustaz Zahazan Mohamed as a guarantee that the statement was from Ustaz Zahazan himself. The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) confirmed that Starbucks Malaysia does not sell products containing pork elements and is a holder of the official halal certificate. A Starbucks Malaysia spokesperson also informed that the products used by Starbucks Malaysia are products checked by JAKIM.
Ustaz Zahazan Mohamed also confirmed that the false claim is not from his statement and asked other social media users to stop sharing the post. The post was shared by one of the social media users with the caption “Share2 … Many are trapped in this place … As long as there is a place that goes viral … halal haram are already aside.” Starbucks Malaysia received an official halal certificate from JAKIM and places great emphasis on the quality of its products.
Here is evidence that Starbucks Malaysia has an official halal certificate from JAKIM: Statements and false claims like this are not new, brands like Coca-Cola, Cadbury and Ajinomoto have also been the victims of false claims like this, disrupting their business operations.
Readers and social media users need to be more aware, cautious and responsible in sharing any posts. Get verification first before sharing with others to avoid any misunderstandings or injustices.