Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - All cosmetics and beauty products imported into Malaysia must bear certification to show they're made from ingredients deemed "halal," or permissible under Islamic rules, a news report said Friday.
The Malaysian Islamic Religious Development Department, which regulates and oversees matters involving the religion and government, said it was setting up guidelines for cosmetics imports and will be releasing them by the end of 2006, The Star newspaper reported.
Certification of all products shipped into Malaysia from next year will be based on the guidelines, the newspaper quoted the department's director general, Mustafa Abdul Rahman, as saying.
"Without the certification, shipments will be turned away," Mustafa said.
The report did not give details of how the Islamic requirements will be imposed. It was not clear whether the certification will be given by Malaysian officials, or by foreign Islamic bodies from the exporting countries.
A halal designation means a product, usually food, complies with Islamic principles of hygiene and humane treatment of animals, as well as other rules involving the production processes.
Ingredients such as gelatin made from pigs -- animals considered unclean in Islam -- are used in some cosmetics, making them not halal.
Mustafa and other officials from the department were not immediately available Friday, a public holiday in Malaysia, for comment on the report. Government offices were closed.