KUALA LUMPUR: Bak kut teh is not listed as halal in Jakim’s website or in Halal Malaysia’s official portal, a Sessions Court, hearing the case involving sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee (pic), was told.

Former deputy director-general of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), Dr Lokman Ab Rahman, said none of the websites listed bak kut teh (pork ribs soup) as halal.

Lokman was the last witness for the prosecution which closed its case on Wednesday involving Tan and Lee over the alleged bak kut teh posting and buka puasa greetings on Facebook.

Sessions judge Abdul Rashid Daud fixed March 28 for submissions.

Lee appeared to be in jovial mood during proceedings on Wednesday. Tan has jumped bail and is believed to be in the United States.

On July 18, 2013, Tan, 28, and Lee, 27, were jointly charged under Subsection 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act, Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act and Section 298A(1) of the Penal Code with displaying pornographic images on their blog between July 6 and 7 that year.

For the second charge, they were accused of uploading content that could possibly stir hostility among those with different beliefs between July 11 and 12.

They also face a charge of publishing a seditious photograph and inviting Muslims to break fast with bak kut teh, together with a halal logo.

Tan and Lee later apologised for the video on YouTube, saying it was done in jest.

Their charge under Section 298A(1) was later dropped by the Court of Appeal on grounds that it did not apply to non-Muslims.-thestar