Brunei Halal Certification System can be marketed abroad

Brunei-Halal-LogoBRUNEI should appoint representatives in other countries to market its halal certification system if it plans to generate revenue from it, a senior member of a trade group said.

In an interview, Brunei China Friendship Association (BCFA) Vice President Dr Md Firdaus Abd Rahman said that the country’s halal certification processes, which is known to be stringent, can be scaled in such a way that it can become a brand synonymous with the halal market.

For that to happen, the relevant authorities in Brunei need to work with the Islamic councils in other countries. They can then sign an agreement which will allow Brunei to appoint council members as representatives who can oversee the certification process in their respective countries.

“If the authorities were to personally do the (halal) audit themselves, it would be not viable because they don’t have enough manpower,” he told The Brunei Times.

He said that the decision to issue the halal certification will then come from Brunei where the relevant authorities will make the final decision.

“I think that Brunei’s halal certification is the best in the region…so we should be able to use it as a brand for our halal systems,” he said.

According to an April 2013 report, Korean promotion agencies are interested in using Brunei halal certification system for their products in order to penetrate the Middle East markets.

At that time, Ki Bong Moon, the second deputy head of Trade and Investment Unit at the ASEAN-Korea Centre, called on for parties from Brunei and Malaysia to collaborate in the halal certification process.

He also said that awareness on halal products in South Korea is still low.

The collaboration, he said is “not a matter of competition, it’s a matter of opportunity and potential in the halal business.”

During the 10th Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting in March, Minister of Religious Affairs YB Pg Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Pg Hj Abdul Rahman stressed on the importance of keeping the country’s halal certification process strict by being more comprehensive in the auditing processes.

He said this in response to a question by LegCo member YB Datin Paduka Hjh Salbiah Hj Sulaiman, who suggested for a simpler process as businesses in the country has criticised its complexity. YB Pg Dato Dr Hj Mohammad said simplifying the process will desecrate the integrity of the certification.

The Brunei Times