A Penang cosmetics manufacturer spent 11 weeks in certification limbo in early 2026 — not because of a production failure, a contamination event, or a documentation gap. Their Halal Executive had attended a legitimate halal management refresher course in January. The certificate was genuine, the programme was 24 hours of structured content, the fees came to RM 1,800. The problem: the training provider was not registered with HPB JAKIM (Halal Professional Board JAKIM), a requirement that only took effect on 1 April 2026 under Pindaan 2026. JAKIM's auditor raised a major NCR. Two UAE cosmetics export orders worth a combined RM 92,000 were delayed while the Halal Executive attended an HPB-registered programme and documentation was resubmitted through MYeHALAL.

The training was done correctly under every rule that applied in January. The manufacturer simply had not been informed that the rules were changing in April.

This guide covers every amendment introduced by MPPHM 2020 Pindaan 2026 — the official designation for Pekeliling Pensijilan Halal Malaysia Bilangan 1 Tahun 2026 — effective 1 April 2026, the specific operational actions required for each change, and which organisations are most exposed to compliance gaps if they have not yet audited their systems against the updated requirements.

What Is MPPHM 2020 Pindaan 2026?

MPPHM stands for Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia — the operational procedures manual governing how JAKIM administers the SPHM (Sijil Pengesahan Halal Malaysia, Malaysian Halal Certificate). MHMS 2020 defines what manufacturers must implement; MPPHM defines how the certification process works. Amendments to either directly affect certified organisations.

Pindaan 2026 is the first major amendment to MPPHM 2020 since its original publication. It does not introduce a new framework — it sharpens specific requirements within the existing 13-pillar MHMS 2020 structure, primarily targeting the qualifications of halal personnel, the definition of IHCS (Internal Halal Control System — Sistem Kawalan Halal Dalaman), and the documentation baseline required to sustain and obtain certification.

For organisations with existing SPHM: these requirements apply at your next renewal audit. For organisations planning a first-time SPHM application: the 3-month records prerequisite means your application timeline must account for an operational period before submission is accepted.

The 8 Amendments: What Changed on 1 April 2026

Here is the complete operational breakdown of every change introduced by Pindaan 2026, with the specific compliance action required for each.

Amendment 1 — Sijil Eksekutif Halal from HPB JAKIM: Mandatory Qualification

The most operationally significant change in Pindaan 2026. The Eksekutif Halal must now hold a Sijil Eksekutif Halal issued through a training provider registered with the Halal Professional Board (HPB) JAKIM.

HPB JAKIM is JAKIM's accreditation body for halal professionals. It maintains a registered directory of training providers authorised to deliver the Sijil Eksekutif Halal programme. A certificate from a provider not on this list — regardless of programme content, duration, or the institution's general reputation — does not satisfy the Pindaan 2026 qualification requirement.

Action required: Verify whether your current Eksekutif Halal holds a Sijil Eksekutif Halal from an HPB-registered provider. If not, identify an HPB-registered provider through the MYeHALAL portal and schedule the programme before your next audit date. Update your JKHD (Jawatankuasa Halal Dalaman — Internal Halal Committee) documentation to reflect the new qualification upon completion.

Deadline: Before your next JAKIM renewal audit or surveillance inspection. If your current EH holds a certificate from a non-HPB provider, treat this as immediate.

Amendment 2 — Eksekutif Halal Required at Every Certified Branch

Previously, a single qualified Eksekutif Halal at headquarters was sufficient to cover all certified locations. Pindaan 2026 removes this: a qualified Eksekutif Halal must now be formally appointed at every operating branch within the organisation's certification scope.

For multi-site food manufacturers, logistics providers, and restaurant chains, this is a structural change with direct staffing implications. Each branch must have its own named Eksekutif Halal with documented qualifications, a formal appointment letter, and defined authority within the branch-level JKHD structure.

Action required: Map all certified branches. For each branch without a designated Eksekutif Halal, initiate the appointment process. Ensure each appointee completes HPB-registered training per Amendment 1. Update JKHD documentation for every affected branch.

Deadline: Immediate — applies to all branches from 1 April 2026. Any JAKIM inspection at a branch without a formally designated EH exposes you to a major NCR today.

Amendment 3 — Mandatory Training Timelines for Processing Staff

Two specific timelines are now codified in the amended framework:

New employees in halal-sensitive roles must complete halal training within 3 months of their appointment date
All processing staff must complete refresher halal training every 3 years

The 3-month onboarding requirement closes a gap that frequently generated NCRs (Laporan Ketidakakuran) in JAKIM audits: staff assigned to Halal Control Points (HCPs — Titik Kawalan Halal) before completing documented training. The 3-year refresh cycle establishes a defined cadence that auditors will now check against training records systematically.

Action required: Establish a training tracking register that records appointment date and training completion date for all halal-sensitive roles. Set calendar-based refresh reminders at the 3-year mark for all current processing staff. Identify any staff hired within the last 3 months who have not yet completed documented halal training.

Deadline: Rolling — the 3-month onboarding clock starts from each new hire's appointment date. For existing staff, identify anyone overdue on the 3-year refresh cycle now.

Amendment 4 — External Training Must Use HPB JAKIM-Registered Providers

This extends the HPB JAKIM registration requirement beyond the Eksekutif Halal qualification. Any external halal training delivered to processing staff, JKHD members, or any personnel with halal compliance responsibilities must now come from an HPB JAKIM-registered provider.

This directly affects manufacturers who have relied on local training centres, industry associations, or consultancy firms for staff halal awareness programmes. From 1 April 2026, training certificates from unregistered providers will not satisfy Pillar 8 audit criteria — regardless of how well-regarded the provider was under the previous framework.

Action required: Audit your current approved training provider list against the HPB JAKIM registered directory. Remove unregistered providers. Source HPB-registered alternatives for your regular training calendar. For staff holding certificates from unregistered providers issued before 1 April 2026, plan to replace them with HPB-registered training at the next scheduled refresh cycle.

Deadline: Immediate — audit your provider list this week. Any training event delivered by an unregistered provider from 1 April 2026 onward generates a non-conformity.

Amendment 5 — MS 2738:2023 Mandatory for Consumer Goods Scheme

For organisations operating under JAKIM's skim produk barang gunaan (consumer goods product scheme), the MS 2738:2023 Malaysian Standard for Halal Consumable Goods is now mandated. This covers cosmetics, personal care products, toiletries, and related non-food consumables within JAKIM's certification scope.

MS 2738:2023 establishes halal requirements for consumable goods distinct from food processing standards — addressing ingredient sourcing, cross-contamination prevention, and labelling requirements specific to personal care product manufacturing.

Action required: If your organisation operates under the consumer goods scheme, obtain MS 2738:2023 and conduct a gap assessment against your current HAS or IHCS documentation. This is a separate standard from MHMS 2020 and requires direct review of the MS 2738:2023 document.

Deadline: Before your next renewal audit (consumer goods scheme organisations only).

Amendment 6 — IHCS Formally Defined as Three Elements

For micro and small enterprises implementing the IHCS pathway in place of a full Halal Assurance System (HAS), Pindaan 2026 formally codifies IHCS as comprising exactly three elements:

A halal policy
Raw material and risk control procedures
Traceability procedures

While practising compliance professionals have long understood IHCS to encompass these areas, their formal codification means JAKIM auditors will now assess each element explicitly as a distinct component. An IHCS document that addresses procurement procedures but does not include a standalone halal policy section — or that lacks a defined traceability procedure — is formally incomplete under Pindaan 2026.

Action required: Review your IHCS documentation. Confirm all three elements are present as distinct, identifiable sections — not embedded across other documents. If any element is missing or only implicit, draft the required documentation and submit for JKHD review. For a detailed comparison of IHCS vs full HAS requirements by organisation size, see our IHCS vs HAS guide.

Deadline: Before your next JAKIM audit. This is a documentation fix — if your content is correct but not structured as three distinct sections, it can be resolved in days.

Amendment 7 — Document Retention: Minimum 3 Years

All MHMS 2020 compliance records — training logs, supplier certificate copies, JKHD meeting minutes, internal audit reports, NCR records, and HCP monitoring logs — must now be retained for a minimum of 3 years.

This formalises what was previously a general expectation into a defined, auditable requirement. Manufacturers managing records through informal filing systems need a documented retention policy that specifies the 3-year minimum and applies it systematically.

Action required: Draft and formalise a records retention policy specifying the 3-year minimum across all record types. Audit current records to confirm nothing within the 3-year window has been discarded or is inaccessible. If records are managed digitally, confirm the system prevents deletion before the 3-year mark.

Deadline: Immediate — the 3-year window runs backward from today. Records from 2023 onward must be intact and retrievable now.

Amendment 8 — New SPHM Applicants: 3-Month Records Prerequisite

First-time SPHM applicants must demonstrate a minimum of 3 months of active compliance system records before their application is accepted for processing. This replaces the previous approach of allowing immediate application upon completing system documentation.

The practical implication: an organisation that finishes building its MHMS 2020 system in April 2026 cannot submit a valid SPHM application until July 2026 at the earliest — after 3 months of documented operational records have accumulated.

Action required: If your organisation is in the SPHM application pipeline, adjust your timeline to account for the 3-month accumulation period. The clock starts when the system is operationally active and generating records (staff trained, HCPs monitored, suppliers verified, JKHD meetings held) — not when documentation is written.

Deadline: 3 months before your planned SPHM submission date. If you are targeting a specific application window, count backward — your system must be live and generating records 3 months prior.

Who Is Most Affected by Pindaan 2026

The eight amendments do not apply equally to all certified organisations. Use this matrix to identify which changes are directly relevant to your situation.

Organisation Type	Applicable Amendments	Priority Level
Food manufacturer (medium / large)	1, 2, 3, 4, 7	High
Food service / restaurant chain	1, 3, 4, 7	Medium
Multi-site certified organisation	1, 2, 3, 4, 7	Critical — branch-level EH is a structural gap
Micro / small enterprise (IHCS pathway)	1, 3, 4, 6, 7	High
Consumer goods (cosmetics / personal care)	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7	Critical — MS 2738:2023 adds a new standard on top
First-time SPHM applicant	1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8	High — application timeline shifts by 3 months

The most exposed profile is a multi-site consumer goods manufacturer applying for SPHM for the first time: all 8 amendments apply simultaneously, and the combined setup requirement can take 4–5 months to fully satisfy before a valid application can be submitted.

The 13 Pillars of MHMS 2020

Malaysian Halal Management System — JAKIM

Governance

Organisational accountability & oversight

Halal Assurance System (HAS)

MHMS 2020 backbone framework

Internal Halal Committee (JKHD)

Halal compliance governance committee

Management Review

Top management HAS oversight

Operations

Production controls & integrity points

Internal Halal Control System (IHCS)

Internal operational controls

Halal Control Points (HCP)

Production integrity checkpoints

Halal-Compliant Processing

Production line integrity

Cleaning, Sanitation & Sertu

Ritual purification controls

Supply Chain

Ingredient verification & labelling

Supplier & Raw Material Verification

Certificate management

Labelling & Packaging Compliance

JAKIM-approved usage

People & Assurance

Training, audits & incident response

Staff Training & Competency

Role-linked halal training

Internal Audit Programme

MHMS 2020-scoped audits

NCR & Corrective Action

Non-conformity tracking & closure

Crisis Management

Halal integrity response

JAKIM audits each pillar independently. Weakness in any single area can result in a major NCR regardless of strength elsewhere.

For a detailed explanation of which pillars underpin each amendment, see the complete MHMS 2020 guide.

Common Pindaan 2026 Compliance Gaps — and Why They Occur

Based on the compliance patterns visible in post-Pindaan NCR activity, these are the gaps most likely to surface in JAKIM audits from April 2026 onward:

Compliance Gap	Root Cause	Affected Amendment
EH certificate from non-HPB provider	Training completed before rule change	Amendment 1
Branch has no appointed EH	Multi-site organisations relied on HQ appointment	Amendment 2
New hire at HCP with no training record	No onboarding trigger in training management system	Amendment 3
Training provider not on HPB directory	Existing provider relationships not verified post-Pindaan	Amendment 4
IHCS missing traceability section	Traceability subsumed into supply chain procedures	Amendment 6
Records purged before 3-year mark	No formal retention policy; informal archiving practices	Amendment 7

The pattern is consistent: most of these gaps do not reflect intent to cut corners. They reflect compliance systems built under the previous framework that have not yet been updated to reflect Pindaan 2026.

This Week: Pindaan 2026 Action Checklist

Pindaan 2026 is in force now. These are the seven checks every certified manufacturer should complete before the end of this week — before the next JAKIM inspection arrives unannounced.

Check your EH's training provider — search the HPB JAKIM registered directory via MYeHALAL and confirm your Eksekutif Halal's certificate issuer is on the list
Map your certified branches — does each one have a formally appointed and documented Eksekutif Halal? Multi-site operators: this is your most urgent gap
Audit your approved training provider list — cross-check every provider against the HPB JAKIM directory and remove any that are not registered
Pull training records for new hires — any staff in halal-sensitive roles hired in the last 3 months without a completed training record is a live NCR risk
Flag processing staff overdue for refresh — last documented halal training more than 3 years ago = overdue under Pindaan 2026 today
Review your IHCS document structure (micro/SME on IHCS pathway) — confirm halal policy, raw material controls, and traceability procedures exist as three distinct, separately identifiable sections
Confirm records from April 2023 onward are intact — the 3-year retention window runs backward from today; anything purged within that window is a finding

For a full audit preparation walkthrough, see our JAKIM audit checklist guide.

What TAQYID Covers for Pindaan 2026

The four Pindaan 2026 compliance gaps that require proactive monitoring — not retrospective record-keeping — map directly onto TAQYID's core modules:

Training Timelines — Tracks each staff member's appointment date and training completion date. Automatically flags: (1) new hires approaching their 3-month training deadline before it lapses, and (2) processing staff whose last documented training is within 6 months of the 3-year refresh threshold. Alerts fire before the NCR, not after.

HE Qualification Management — Records each Eksekutif Halal's Sijil Eksekutif Halal with provider name, HPB JAKIM registration status, issue date, and certificate expiry. One dashboard shows qualification status for every EH across all certified branches — no manual consolidation required before renewal audits.

Document Retention Enforcement — Applies the 3-year retention policy at the system level. Records cannot be deleted before the retention period expires, and an audit trail is maintained for every document action. JAKIM auditors can be shown retention compliance in two minutes.

Branch-Level JKHD — Separate JKHD profile per certified branch, with individual EH appointment records, meeting minutes, and compliance status. Managers see cross-branch compliance at a glance — the multi-site gap that Pindaan 2026 explicitly targets is visible and manageable from day one.

See how TAQYID supports MHMS 2020 compliance →

The Signal Behind the Pindaan: Halal Compliance as a Profession

The HPB JAKIM Sijil Eksekutif Halal requirement deserves a perspective beyond its immediate operational implication.

What JAKIM is building with this amendment is precisely what happened in food safety when the FDA introduced the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) credential under FSMA — or when HACCP coordination became a recognised competency with defined accredited training standards. Halal compliance is being professionalised: not merely as a regulatory function, but as a credentialed discipline with a structured qualification pathway.

This matters for how manufacturers should evaluate the Eksekutif Halal role going forward. Organisations that treat it as an administrative burden — assigning it to a quality manager with ten other responsibilities, running an informal in-house awareness session once a year — are increasingly out of alignment with where JAKIM's framework is heading.

The manufacturers building properly resourced, structurally supported compliance functions now are not just meeting today's audit criteria. They are developing institutional capability that will matter as NurAI surveillance deepens, MYeHALAL data integration expands, and the convergence between MHMS 2020 and GCC certification standards (ESMA, SMIIC) continues to tighten.

Conclusion

MPPHM 2020 Pindaan 2026 is not a wholesale revision. It is a targeted tightening of specific requirements — primarily around who qualifies as Eksekutif Halal, how halal training must be delivered and tracked, and what documentation baseline is required to sustain and obtain certification.

The manufacturers most at risk are not those with poorly managed systems. They are manufacturers who built solid compliance frameworks under MPPHM 2020 and have not yet verified that those frameworks meet the April 2026 requirements — particularly the HPB JAKIM training provider requirement, which creates exposure for anyone who completed staff training before the rule change and has not yet refreshed through an HPB-registered programme.

The readiness checklist above covers every verification step. For manufacturers using TAQYID to manage their MHMS 2020 compliance, the Pindaan 2026 timelines are already reflected in the platform's training module and JKHD documentation workflows.

Start your TAQYID early access →

Frequently Asked Questions

I completed halal training with a non-HPB provider before 1 April 2026. Do I have a grace period to comply?

Pekeliling Pensijilan Halal Malaysia Bilangan 1 Tahun 2026 does not specify a grace period for training completed under the previous framework. The amendment took effect on 1 April 2026, and JAKIM auditors assess compliance against current requirements from that date. For the Eksekutif Halal qualification specifically, a Sijil Eksekutif Halal from a non-HPB-registered provider does not meet the requirement — the practical deadline is your next renewal audit or JAKIM inspection, whichever comes first. For processing staff trained by non-HPB providers, the risk materialises at the next audit. The recommended approach: treat the EH qualification as immediate, schedule HPB-registered refresher training for processing staff at the next cycle, and document the remediation plan in your NCR register as a preventive action. Waiting until an audit notice arrives is the higher-risk path.

What is MPPHM 2020 Pindaan 2026 and when did it take effect?

MPPHM 2020 Pindaan 2026 is the first major amendment to Malaysia's Manual Prosedur Pensijilan Halal Malaysia since 2020, formally issued as Pekeliling Pensijilan Halal Malaysia Bilangan 1 Tahun 2026. It took effect on 1 April 2026 and introduces eight targeted changes to the existing MHMS 2020 compliance framework. The amendments primarily affect Eksekutif Halal qualification requirements, IHCS structure for micro and small enterprises, training timelines and provider accreditation, document retention minimums, and the records baseline required for first-time SPHM applications.

Does my Halal Executive need to retake their certification because of Pindaan 2026?

Not necessarily — but the training provider must be verified. If your Eksekutif Halal holds a Sijil Eksekutif Halal from a provider currently registered with HPB JAKIM, the qualification remains valid. If the provider is not on the HPB JAKIM registered list, the certificate does not satisfy the Pindaan 2026 requirement regardless of when it was issued or the quality of the programme delivered. Check the HPB JAKIM registered provider directory via MYeHALAL and compare against the issuing organisation on your current certificate.

Do the new 3-month and 3-year training timelines apply to existing staff?

The 3-month onboarding requirement applies to employees hired after 1 April 2026. For existing staff, the relevant obligation is the 3-year refresh cycle: any processing staff whose last documented halal training exceeds 3 years are overdue under the Pindaan 2026 framework from today. Auditors will check training records against both timelines from April 2026 onward. Prioritise identifying staff with training gaps exceeding 3 years as the most immediate action.

Which organisations are affected by the MS 2738:2023 requirement?

MS 2738:2023 applies specifically to organisations certified or applying under JAKIM's skim produk barang gunaan — the consumer goods product scheme covering cosmetics, personal care products, toiletries, and similar non-food consumables. Food manufacturers, food processors, slaughterhouses, and logistics providers are not subject to MS 2738:2023 unless they also produce consumer goods under a separate JAKIM certification scope.

My organisation is applying for SPHM for the first time — how does the 3-month records requirement work in practice?

The 3-month prerequisite is counted from the date your compliance system is operationally active and generating records — not from when the documentation was written or the system was designed. If your MHMS 2020 system went live on 1 April 2026 (staff trained, HCPs monitored, supplier certificates verified, JKHD meetings conducted and minuted), the earliest you can submit a valid SPHM application is 1 July 2026. JAKIM will expect to see at minimum 3 months of HCP monitoring logs, training records, and JKHD activity as evidence of operational readiness — not just completed documentation.

MPPHM 2020 Pindaan 2026: 8 Compliance Changes to Action Now