Bandar Seri Begawan – Steps on how to achieve the Brunei Halal Brand
were explained in a presentation at the fourth International Halal
Market Conference yesterday by the Director of Agriculture, who stated
that local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to attain
the brand in order to enable their products to make their way into the
international halal market.
During the conference’s first session at the International
Convention Centre (ICC), Hjh Normah Suria Hayati PJDSM DSU (Dr) Hj Mohd
Jamil Al-Sufri explained to the assembly the steps and how it could
benefit local companies.
She explained that the process would begin with auditing whereby the
products arc checked and certified for both its halal status and high
quality.
“It has to be of quality… when you see a product that has the
Brunei Halal Brand, you would not have doubts (of its quality),” she
said.
Hjh Normah explained that Ghanim Food International Corporation is
in charge of ensuring that the product’s safety and quality factors are
not compromised before proceeding to the Brunei Religious Council for
its halal certification process. She said after certification, the
products will then be brought back to Ghanim Food International
Corporation for contract manufacturing.
“After the manufacturing, then your products will be in the international halal market,” said the director.
The process of attaining the Brunei Halal Certification was further
elaborated in her presentation, where she explained that the process
would go through eight different stages.
It was explained in the presentation that interested parties could
obtain the application form either by writing to or e-mailing the Halal
Food Division under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The division
will check the received application forms for completion of information
and documents.
The application will then be submitted to the Halal Certificate and
Halal Label Inspection Committee before the site inspection by the
Chief Auditor upon approval. After the inspection, a report will be
submitted to the Brunei Religious Council, who will then make the
decision after receiving the report.
Upon approval from the council, the applicant will then be asked to
submit their payments to the Brunei Religious Council before the halal
permit and certificate is issued.
Interested parties who wish to enquire further on the subject, the
director said, can contact Noel Shield, consultant to Kerry FSDA, a
partner company of the Brunei Halal joint venture project.
— Courtesy of The Brunei Times