"Jelajah Halal Malaysia" Boosts Melaka's Halal Industry

MELAKA, Oct 17 (Bernama) --  The “Jelajah Halal Malaysia (JHM)’, currently taking place at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC), has successfully boosted the growth of the state’s halal industry while strengthening Melaka’s position as an International Halal Hub.

The Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC), in a statement today, said the programme, which runs from Oct 16 until 19,  brought together more than 500 entrepreneurs, halal industry players and local and international investors.

It said the event serves as a key platform for knowledge sharing, halal certification innovation, marketing, and the development of globally competitive products. 

The event, opened by HDC Acting Chairman Datuk Azhari Shaari, was also attended by HDC Chief Executive Officer Hairol Ariffein Sahari, representatives of state government agencies and HDC's strategic partners.

"Melaka is now recognised as one of the most progressive states in implementing the country's halal agenda, and in 2024, the state received the "World Halal Excellence Award" under the Best Halal State Initiative category organised by HDC.

“It was in recognition of the state’s continued efforts to develop a comprehensive halal ecosystem encompassing the tourism, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, fashion, logistics and Islamic finance sectors," read the statement.

It said through initiatives such as the Melaka Halal Hub and strategic collaboration with HDC, the state government continues to strengthen the ability of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to penetrate regional markets, including West Asia, Europe and Africa.

"JHM Melaka also features various contents, including industry dialogue sessions, business matching (B2B), halal product exhibitions, as well as strategic networking opportunities to encourage collaboration between local and international industry players.

"In addition, the Women in Halal Industry initiative promoted by HDC has also received attention, attracting the participation of female entrepreneurs to explore new potential in the halal industry which continues to grow rapidly," he said.

It said the Melaka government and the Melaka Islamic Religious Council (MAIM), as strategic partners, are also confident that the success of the event will be the main catalyst in making Melaka a high-impact halal hub with a global market target of RM22 trillion by 2030.

This is in line with the vision of the Halal Industry Master Plan 2030 (HIMP 2030) and Malaysia's aspirations as a world halal superpower, it said. 

Meanwhile, Hairol Ariffein said that holding the JHM in Melaka not only opens up wider opportunities for local entrepreneurs but also strengthens strategic cooperation between the state and federal governments in strengthening the competitiveness of the country's halal industry.

"HDC is committed to helping each state develop the potential of its respective halal industry, including aspects of halal digitalisation, talent development and entrepreneur empowerment so that Malaysia remains a global halal leader by 2030," he said in the same statement.

He said the JHM programme is a strategic collaboration between the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) through HDC with selected state governments each year, to help SMEs strengthen their ability to penetrate the local and international halal markets.

Since its introduction in 2022, the programme has involved more than 2,000 SMEs with total sales reaching RM25.7 million, thus proving its impact on the growth of the country's halal economy.

-- BERNAMA