KUALA TERENGGANU, Feb 16 (Bernama) — The East Coast
Economic Region (ECER) Development Council Monday signed a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) with Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia (UDM) to
develop halal products in the region.
ECER chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace John said the
MoU would strengthen ECER’s commitment to implement all the projects
identified under UDM’s three centres of excellence — Regional Centre
for Halal Products, Bio-Technology and Herbal Products Centre and
Centre for Industrial Academic Cooperation (CIAC).
“The MoU will help ECER identify competitive advantage in the
halal food industry through regional development centres for halal
products and centres for biotechnology products and herbs,” he said at
the signing ceremony.
Jebasingam signed for ECER while UDM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr
Alias Daud inked for the university. Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk
Ahmad Said witnessed the signing.
Under the ECER master plan, the UDM would be turned into a centre
of excellence for halal product development in the region, Jebasingam
said.
“The first initiative is to introduce the services provided by UDM
as a regional centre for halal products and a centre for biotechnology
and herbs for small-and medium-scale companies, he said.
Dr Alias said through the Agriculture and Biotechnology Faculty,
the UDM received recognition from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi to set up the biotechnology and herbal research centre and
ECER regional halal products centre.
“UDM adopts the principle of university expansion. This policy
enables the people to have access to the university to solve their
problems, especially with regard to crops, livestock, household economy
and youths,” he added.
— BERNAMA