Malaysia: Jakim, IIUM collaborate on research for halal products

KUALA LUMPUR: The Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has collaborated with the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in research on halal (permissible in Islam) products to boost the development of halal industry in the country.

Its director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abd Aziz said Jakim would  tap the IIUM’s expertise in various fields of research  to  identify  halal  products that we free from non-halal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content.

He said the collaboration was a step in the right direction to make the halal industry more organised and boost the confidence of all quarters, including international certification bodies.

“The research on food, health supplements, traditional medicines, cosmetics and daily use products is in line with the government’s effort to turn Malaysia  into  a  world halal hub,” he told reporters after the signing ceremony  of a memorandum of  understanding  (MoU) on the collaboration yesterday.

On international halal certification, he said 52 bodies from 23 countries, including Australia, France, China and Brazil were   recognised  by  Jakim.

Meanwhile, IIUM Rector Prof  Datuk  Seri  Syed Arabi Idid, who signed the MoU on behalf of the university, said the collaboration included the setting up of a halal research centre in Lanchang, Pahang, which was expected to be completed this year.

The centre on a 242.8ha site will be manned mainly by IIUM researchers besides several foreign experts, he said, adding that it would also conduct training for entrepreneurship and issue certifications. — Bernama