SHAH ALAM, March 5 — Selangor aims to have at least 2,000 micro entrepreneurs in the state be halal certified under the newly-launched International Muslim Friendly Affiliated Network (IMFAN) programme.
IMFAN was launched yesterday by the state government’s Halal International Selangor, in collaboration with microcredit programme HIJRAH Selangor. The programme will assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in building halal principles and practices at the early stages of their business through specific modules to raise their industry knowledge and expertise.
Selangor executive councillor Datuk Teng Chang Khim, who chairs the committee for investment, industry and commerce, and SMEs, said the formation of IMFAN was expected to benefit micro entrepreneurs in the state in view of the tight process to secure halal certification.
“We noticed that micro entrepreneurs often have difficulties to obtain halal certification due to the fairly tight process and high fee required. Therefore, through IMFAN, micro entrepreneurs can be assisted through five-tier ratings.
“For each tier rating (awarded), participants must follow set standards and IMFAN will give certain logos for their products to mark that they have passed certain levels.
“With this, consumers will also feel more confident about the products until they get the actual halal certificates,” he told a media conference after launching the IMFAN initiative at a Pocket Talk Programme session on “Selangor Food and Beverages Industry 2020” here today.
Also present was Invest Selangor Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Hasan Azhari Idris.
Teng said to-date, 40,000 micro entrepreneurs had registered with HIJRAH Selangor and it was hoped that the initiative could help their businesses move to a higher level, especially in the halal industry.
On the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2020 to be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Oct 14-17, he said the state government-backed conference and exhibition would go on as scheduled although the world was currently hit by Covid-19.
Teng said he was confident that the virus spread would slow down towards year-end compared with now.
— Bernama
