Recirculated Facebook posts have falsely claimed that the Malaysian government agency responsible for Islamic affairs (JAKIM) declared the bubble tea chain Tealive is "haram", or forbidden in Islam. The claim purports the information came from a Malaysian Muslim preacher. Tealive and the Malaysian government agency responsible for Islamic affairs (JAKIM) both separately have confirmed that the company holds the official "halal" certificate -- meaning its products are permissible for Muslims to consume. The Islamic preacher named in the posts has also denied that he made the false claim, which has circulated online since at least 2019.

The false claim was shared here on Facebook on February 8, 2023.

It reads: "Bye bye Tealive...Tealive has been declared haram! by JAKIM", referring to the Malaysian government's agency responsible for Islamic affairs, including halal certification in the country.

It then cites assorted Tealive products, which it claims contain ingredients that are haram -- or not permissible -- for Muslims, such as pork and alcohol.

It credits the claim to Malaysian Muslim preacher Zahazan Mohamed.

Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on February 20, 2023

Tealive, a Malaysian chain established in 2017, is best known for its bubble tea, a popular Taiwanese tea-based drink with tapioca pearls.

The claim was also shared on Facebook here, here and here; and on Twitter here.

Similar false posts have circulated for years: in 2021, 2020 and even as far back as ...

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