M'sia needs to capitalise on halal industry expertise, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia needs to capitalize on its expertise in the halal industry as it is now in high demand by many foreign countries due to the significant potential it holds, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic).

He said that quite a number of countries are seeking 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 him 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 and align them under the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry, thereby generating robust economic growth.”

Anwar said this after launching the Residensi Wilayah, Residensi Prihatin Madani and Madani Hawkers Centre ground-breaking ceremony at Desa Tasik Sungai Besi here on Thursday (Aug 17).

At present, the Corporation 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 that need to be addressed in the halal industry, including ensuring speed and efficiency in the issuance of 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