KUALA LUMPUR: The Islamic Development Department Malaysia (Jakim) held a special meeting with representatives from eight Muslim groups over the halal issue.

Its director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha said the meeting was aimed at hearing the group’s views on the matter.

“Jakim also took the opportunity to explain the status of the discovery of two Cadbury chocolate products containing porcine DNA,” he said in a statement.

Othman also stressed during the meeting that it had never hidden or manipulated facts in addressing the halal issue and carrying out its responsibilities.

Those attending the meeting were the Malaysia Ulama Association, Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs, Mus­lim Consumers Association of Malaysia, Malaysia Indian Muslim Youth Movement, Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia, Malaysia Consumer Pro­tection and Welfare Board, Jaringan Melayu Malaysia and Malaysia Islamic Welfare Orga­nisation.

Othman said Jakim paid serious attention to issues and suggestions raised by the groups and thanked them for their concern.

Cadbury Malaysia had said that it believed its chocolate products were halal and not tainted with porcine DNA, adding that it was awaiting results of the analysis by Jakim on the products.

On Thursday, the National Fatwa Council had announced that Cadbury products were still deemed halal.

This was made following a Health Ministry statement that non-halal elements were found in two varieties of Cadbury chocolates – the Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut (batch number 200813M01H I2), expiring on Nov 13, 2014, and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond (batch number 221013N01R I1), expiring on Jan 15, 2015.