Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng is demanding an apology from Umno's Ismail Sabri Yaakob over the latter's claim that the halal certification process was transferred from Jakim to the Finance Ministry.

Should the Bera MP fail to do so within 24 hours, Lim intends to lodge reports with the police, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Islamic authorities over the matter.

Ismail Sabri allegedly made the statement during the Himpunan Penyatuan Ummah 2019 gathering in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Jakim countered Ismail Sabri's claims, saying in a statement issued late yesterday by its Corporate Communications Unit: "Jakim denies this statement and confirms that up to now, Jakim and the Islamic religious authorities in the relative states are still responsible for halal certification."

Lim said that as a senior politician and former cabinet minister, Ismail Sabri must be held accountable

"He made a false accusation that the halal certification process is under DAP. Now that Jakim has made a statement denying it, it's very clear that he has misled the public," he told Malaysiakini.

"The correct thing for him to do is to retract and apologise.

"I want Ismail Sabri to retract his lies and apologise to Jakim and the rakyat for inciting religious hatred using the issue of halal certification," said Lim who went on to issue an ultimatum.

"Ismail Sabri has up to 3pm on Sept 16 to retract and apologise, failing which I shall ask the Islamic authorities, the inspector-general of police and the MCMC to take legal actions against the Umno vice-president,' he said.

This comes after a report in The Star quoted Ismail Sabri as saying "although the new government is seen to be led by the Malays, it is indirectly run by DAP", before going on to claim that the halal logo certification, which had come under Jakim, is now under the Finance Ministry.

"And we all know who runs the Finance Ministry," he was reported as claiming at the gathering on Friday.