Islam is Malaysia’s official religion and the Malay kitchen is halal, but Chinese and many international restaurants are not. Learn the JAKIM logo and you can eat almost anywhere with confidence.
Malaysia’s official halal logo is issued by JAKIM (and state religious departments). It covers ingredients, preparation and suppliers, and certified restaurants do not serve alcohol.
“Pork-free” is not halal
“Pork-free”, “no pork” or “Muslim-friendly” signs are not certification; many such places still serve alcohol or use non-halal meat.
Verify Halal app
JAKIM’s Verify Halal app and the MYeHALAL portal let you search a restaurant by name or scan the QR code on its certificate to see who certified it and until when.
Mamak & Malay stalls
Indian-Muslim mamak restaurants and Malay stalls are run by Muslims and serve halal food; in Chinatown and mixed food courts, check each stall.
Prayer & practicalities
Surau everywhere
Every mall, large station and petrol station has a surau (prayer room), signed in Malay and usually near the car park or toilets.
Friday timings
Friday prayers fill the streets around big mosques from around 12:30; mosques close to tourists until mid-afternoon.
Visiting a mosque
Cover arms and legs; women cover their hair. Larger mosques lend robes. Shoes off before the prayer hall.
Hotel restaurants vary: some kitchens are JAKIM-certified, others are only pork-free and serve alcohol. Ask to see the certificate before you order.