GEORGE TOWN, March 5 (Bernama) -- The government has allocated RM150,000 this year for the Penang Regional Development Authority (PERDA) to implement the Halal Certification Programme in an effort to produce more competitive small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs.
PERDA general manager Datuk Mohd Asri Baharum @ Harun said the allocation will fund 10 entrepreneurs who have been identified to participate in the programme, thereby helping them gain wider access to domestic and international markets.
“The entrepreneurs are from the PERDA Food Park Complex, those mentored by the agency and tenants of PERDA-owned business premises. All 10 are expected to obtain halal certification for their respective products by October or November this year.
“We adopt a comprehensive approach that includes training, advisory services, guidance on documentation as well as upgrading of business premise infrastructure and production operation systems,” he said at the launch of PERDA SME Halal Certification Programme 2026 at Komtar here tonight.
He said PERDA would also assist in the preparation of complete documentation and engagement sessions with relevant parties, such as the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), to ensure entrepreneurs comply with all specifications and standards required to obtain halal certification.
The initiative, implemented since the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), has helped 22 entrepreneurs obtain halal certification for their respective products.
He said monitoring by the agency found that business premises that do not meet the required specifications are among the main constraints faced by SME entrepreneurs in obtaining halal certification. Through the programme, PERDA helps upgrade the entrepreneurs’ premises to meet the necessary standards.
“When entrepreneurs have halal certification, their products can penetrate wider markets, including major supermarket chains and overseas markets. Without the certification, it is quite hard for them to expand,” he said.
On the potential of the global halal market, Mohd Asri said his experience attending halal forums in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and Shanghai, China, demonstrated strong demand for Malaysian products.
He said Malaysian products are well received and considered of high quality, showing that halal certification is not only a religious requirement but also a commercial value-add that opens export opportunities.
-- BERNAMA
