KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia\u2019s Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC) is getting ready to announce several government-level collaborations with other countries to help develop their national halal infrastructures.<\/p>\n
Salaam Gateway understands that nations including Russia, Taiwan and Senegal, as well as some republics in Central Asia, have called on HDC, the government agency that promotes Malaysian expertise overseas, to advise on building their halal capabilities.<\/p>\n
These countries are working with HDC\u2019s Halal Consultancy business unit in a bid to devise frameworks for the development of their own halal industries so they are better placed to tap into the global halal market.<\/p>\n
According to HDC chief executive Hairol Ariffein Sahari, these intergovernmental collaborations are part of a new strategy this year that will allow Malaysia to capitalise more on its halal expertise.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor years, Malaysia has been very successful in promoting halal to the rest of the world through its certification, which is now seen everywhere as the gold standard. But we are yet to benefit from this in terms of trade,\u201d Hairol Ariffein told Salaam Gateway.<\/p>\n
According to figures quoted this year by MATRADE, Malaysia\u2019s external trade promoter, of the near 7,500 companies involved in the halal industry, only a quarter export abroad.<\/p>\n
Hairol Ariffein himself recently admitted that Malaysia had a trade deficit in halal products, with $25 billion in imports, compared with exports of just $10 billion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Malaysian halal ecosystem needs to be better connected to halal ecosystems in other countries through a robust supply chain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo address this, we have entered into a strategy that will position us at the centre of the global halal industry, and part of this will be by helping other countries develop their competence.\u201d<\/p>\n
HALAL MASTERPLAN<\/strong><\/p>\n The strategy is part of HDC\u2019s\u00a0Halal Industry Master Plan 2030<\/a>\u00a0that sets out to deliver a two-thirds increase in Malaysia\u2019s domestic returns from the halal industry by 2030, while also increasing its contribution to GDP to 11%,\u00a0from 7.4% today<\/a>. It is expected that the plan\u2019s goals will be revised upwards later this year.<\/p>\n In addition to offering a more internationally focused Halal Consultancy, the masterplan also seeks to help halal industry workers to network in new markets by training them as third-party auditors through HDC\u2019s Halal Training Institute.<\/p>\n More productivity is hoped to come through an expanded network of halal manufacturing and services parks in Malaysia, while a software platform under development aims to provide an online marketplace for 200,000 local halal SMEs.<\/p>\n By establishing soft power at the highest level in countries with a strong interest in developing their halal ecosystems, Malaysia will be able to ingrain its certification and instill greater dependence on its systems and supply chain in those markets.<\/p>\n \u201cFor this year, our business unit has been focusing more on getting companies ready for JAKIM certification, introducing consulting services for halal-certified companies and other halal establishments, and helping all entities to come up with their halal strategies,\u201d said Dhaliff Anuar, head of HDC\u2019s Halal Consultancy.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we have been bringing this outside of Malaysia and we want to help other countries to develop their halal economies by imitating what Malaysia has done. By tapping into our knowledge, we\u2019ll crack it for them\u2014we can help them and guide them through their objectives,\u201d said Dhaliff, who was previously manager for halal industry and integrity service at PwC Malaysia.<\/p>\n JAKIM CERTIFICATION INTERNATIONAL VALUE CHAIN<\/strong><\/p>\n