Malaysia: Terengganu university to boost Halal market

KUALA LUMPUR – A Terengganu-based university has been appointed as the East Coast Economic Region’s (ECER) regional centre for halal products to help Malaysian businessmen penetrate the RM6.6 trillion (S$2.5 trillion) global halal market.

Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin will provide guidance and support to businesses wanting to tap the halal market, including providing fully equipped halal and herbal laboratories for ingredient and composition testing.

The centre will also be advising small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under ECER in obtaining the halal certification, apart from helping SME food producers enhance food safety and the quality of halal products, including food, cosmetics and medical supplies to be marketed globally.

Additionally, it will help in the marketing, branding and packaging of products as well as providing research and development services and training support.

In a statement yesterday, ECER Development Council, of which the regional centre comes under, said the halal industry continued to be one of the fastest growing markets.

“The new centre will help local manufacturers in developing high quality, halal-certified products in line with the New Economic Model,” said the council’s chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace John.

It will also facilitate quality control for livestock products, food hygiene and handling.

John said the regional centre will complement the development of halal parks under the ECER, namely in Gambang Pahang and Pasir Mas, Kelantan, which began construction recently.