KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Malaysia needs to capitalise on its expertise in the halal industry, which is now in high demand by many foreign countries, due to the significant potential it holds in the global economy that could reach trillions of ringgit, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said many countries seek Malaysia’s assistance to establish their own halal industries, as Malaysia already has a world-class halal certification body, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).
This was proved by the keen interest shown and conveyed to the Prime Minister by foreign leaders he met during his official visits, including to Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China.
“We should leverage the strong collaboration between Jakim and the Halal Development Corporation (HDC), and align them under the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry, thereby generating robust economic growth,” Anwar said.
He was speaking at the launch of the Residensi Wilayah, Residensi Prihatin Madani and Madani Hawkers Centre ground-breaking ceremony at Desa Tasik Sungai Besi earlier today.
At present, HDC is assisting companies or products that have received halal certification from Jakim in promoting their goods to international markets.
However, Anwar also acknowledged some challenges which must be addressed in the halal industry, including ensuring speed and efficiency in issuing halal certification.
“We must ensure the halal status is accurate because we are accountable to Allah SWT, but the approval process must also be swift. We should not use (meticulous) halal certification procedures as an excuse to slow down approvals,” he added.
— Bernama
