DPM ZAHID CALLS ON MARA TO CONTINUE EXPLORING GLOBAL POTENTIAL OF HALAL INDUSTRY

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Bernama) -- Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) has been asked to continue exploring the global potential and international market opportunities for the halal industry which has great prospects through the Gate to Global (GTG) programme.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said this is considering that last year alone, the contribution of the halal industry to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 7.9 per cent with the total export of halal products reaching RM53.72 billion.

“I’m confident that MARA can play its role better through the GTG. Given the fact that RM400 million in total sales have been contributed to the country's GDP through GTG companies since 2020, I now challenge MARA to double this value.”

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Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Malaysian Halal Industry Development Council chairman, said this at the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development’s (KKDW) monthly assembly, which was also attended by MARA Chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

The GTG programme implemented by MARA since 2017 aims to increase the ability of entrepreneurs in terms of product development, strengthening branding and strategic marketing that can bring local products to international markets.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid also wants efforts to drive the creation of Al-Quran generation through education, training, and career development to continue to be intensified from time to time.

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He said the Community Development Department (Kemas) pre-tahfiz kindergarten programme, which began on a pilot basis involving 1,500 children at 100 Kemas kindergartens last year, will be expanded to 4,145 kindergartens with 64,175 children this year.

“To date, MARA, through its MRSM (Mara Junior Science College) Ulul Albab programme has also produced 3,564 huffaz (Quran memorisers),” he said.

On another development, Ahmad Zahid said as the number of gig workers currently estimated at more than 1.12 million, Ahmad Zahid also expressed hope that basic matters such as the welfare and career potential of the group would also be improved.

“The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) himself has asked for a Commission for Gig Workers to be introduced and Insya-Allah, when this formal channel is established later, I want KKDW to also be involved, especially in the entrepreneurship and training sector,” he added.

-- BERNAMA