Malaysia: Sarawak can look to Thailand as halal hub example

By Sharon Kong, Borneo Post

KUCHING: Sarawak can learn from Thailand’s vast strides made in developing its Halal industry, particularly to further aid the development of Tanjung Manis Halal Hub to contribute more towards the state’s economy.

Dr Winai Dahlan
Dr Winai Dahlan

The launch of Inside Investor’s ‘Inside Sarawak 2013’ report saw Dr Winai Dahlan, founder and director of Halal Science Centre (HSC) of the University of Chulalongkorn outlining methods invented by his institute in creating new halal products and services.

Certain ventures formed under Winai include forays to create halal science and technology, halal pharmaceuticals, halal tourism as well as halal information technology.

“This is important to create a halal industry in today’s atmosphere,” he stated.

“It is important to work closely with each other to protect Muslims especially in a non-Muslim country such as Thailand.”

HSC has been sponsored by many government and private sectors to develop and research many projects such as the Najis Cleansing Liquid made from specific clay cleansing products, halal cosmetics and healthy snacks from herbs following Islamic belief, among others.

Dahlan also spoke of his institute’s development, the HAL-Q (Halal Assurance, Liability and Quality) System – a management system for the quality control of halal food manufacturing factories – which has to date been implemented in 300 halal food and non food factories within Thailand.

HSC’s other trademark development includes SILK (Shariah-compliant ICT Logistics Kontrol) – an ICT system controlling the halal supply chain, logistics and traceability which was developed to link with the HAL-Q system to create competitive advantage in any industrial sites applying the system.

Based in a non-Muslim country, Thailand’s HSC’s developments has been successful in the halal industry to date and as such, has been officially coined the first Halal Science Centre in the world.

Such successes achieved by the HSC is a fine example for Sarawak’s Tanjung Manis Halal Hub to follow as it attempts to become one of the world’s most important centres for tackling issues of food security and sustainable food production.

The Tanjung Manis Halal Hub is likely to continue attracting many investors as during the launch, Inside Investor Ltd managing director Imran Saddique noted that with significant development in Sarawak over the past years, the state is a role model for the entire region and a success story that need to be highlighted for investors at a global stage.

As such, he believes Sarawak is open to great opportunities and has the ‘art of business’ to keep the state as an investor’s destination of choice.