Halal Alert: Singapore Cinemas Drop the Flavor!
Picture this: you’re all pumped to catch the latest blockbuster, snack in hand, only to discover the popcorn bars are not halal-certified. That’s the headline bite‑size shock got by Muslim movie‑goers in Singapore.
Why the Sudden Chop‑off?
The halalSG Twitter feed, run by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), blew the whistle on September 5th: none of the four big cinema chains has a halal‑approved food counter today.
An Instagram‑inspired spin‑of a question asked by TikTok user Gypsily (via Golden Village) about whether the movie munchies were halal, sparked the chain reaction that led Muis to confirm—surprise!—no applications had been filed, as of last week.
Timeline and Numbers
- Four chains, trickle‑down to more than 30 snack counters.
- In 2014, Cathay Cineplexes ran four halal‑certified spots but lost the licence in 2015.
- Halal certification costs roughly $750 a year—handy cash‑vs‑convenience dilemma.
Muslim Mounts the Matins
Student Fatimah Mujibah, 19, raised the hand‑rocket of opinion: “Every cinema should get its halal stamp. We’re used to assuming the popcorn is halal, but that’s a blind spot for many.” Her take? “If the snack bars aren’t halal, we should bring our own snacks. … But we’re worried movies can become a mess if we all chucked our own food.”
Same sentiment from Madam Kamariah Othman, 46, teacher: “No excuse here—cinemas attract all walks of life.”
Corporate Concerns
When asked about the backlash, a Cathay spokesperson omitted details (hint: a new crew ran the show in May). But he pledged, “we’ll keep listening. We aim to tweak the snack game.”
Golden Village, Shaw Theatres, and Filmgarde? Silence. Rex Cinema, a Bollywood‑heavy venue, said “nothing to comment, we’re in a management shuffle.”
Behind the Scenes
Samuel Tan, who runs a retail‑management diploma at Temasek Polytechnic, knows the weeds: “Turning a snack bar into a halal site is a marathon—raw materials, kitchen revamp, staff scheduling—which pushes many cinemas in the ditch.”
Meanwhile, Fish & Co and Delifrance lost their halal badges; Fish & Co is digging back in.
When Halal Isn’t a Hand‑shake
Muis stung the final verdict: “Halal certification is purely voluntary.” Yet the holy‑shomey “Muis” certificate should hang humbly at the outlet’s door. Muslims can also roll through the MuslimSG app’s living list for trusted halal spots.
So, dear movie‑lover, the next time you’re eyeing that buttery peanut cocktail, think before you munch. Will your cinema’s snack bar slap a halal badge on the parcel? You’ll know.
Original: New Paper. Permissions required for re‑use. Happy watching—just maybe bring your own snacks for safety!
