Govt introduces five schemes to increase bumi participation in industry

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government has introduced five programmes to help increase the participation of bumiputra companies in the halal industry.

The programmes will be done in collaboration with other ministries and government agencies to benefit bumiputra companies, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Among the agencies and ministries involved are the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), Halal Industry Development Corporation, International Trade and Industry Ministry, and the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.

The five programmes are the Global Halal Data Pool, Kitchen Incubation, Halal Franchise, Vendor Development and mentoring for companies that have failed to obtain halal certification.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said the involvement of bumiputra companies in the halal industry was generally small.

“That is why the Government has provided many facilities and guidance to further increase their participation in the halal industry,” he said in his speech at the Bumiputra Participation in the Halal Industry Forum yesterday.

According to 2014 data, only 283,200 out of the 1,026,100 registered companies with the Companies Commission of Malaysia are bumiputra-owned.

In the manufacturing sector, Dr Ahmad Zahid said there was less than 5% participation of bumiputra companies.

He added that out of the 5,834 companies that had halal certification, only 39.2% or 2,288 companies were bumiputra-owned.

“More than 90% of bumiputra businesses are micro-companies that operate without a halal certificate.

“Bumiputra companies that have halal certification are mostly small food premises,” he said.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said for 2014, of the average 828 exporters of halal products, only 92 or 11% of the companies were bumiputra-owned.