Muslims urged to Manufacture Halal Products

MALACCA: The halal products from Malaysia are widely recognised in the
world but sadly the number of Muslims involved in manufacturing them
were limited. 

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said it was disappointing
that Muslims were only involved in producing 15% of the halal products
in the country. 

“The Government is taking several measures to increase the involvement
of Muslims as it wants the country to be a world halal hub by 2010,” he
said while officiating the state-level halal industry seminar here on
Saturday. 

Mohd Ali said the target was not rhetoric as the market for halal
products amongst Muslims has reached 1.6 billion, with 60% of them
being Asian citizens. 

“We should not stand aside and watch the other races compete for the
halal market. We should also strive to produce products which had
received the halal certification,” he said. 

He said the trade between Malaysia and the Organisation of Islamic
Countries (OIC) has increased 9.2% to RM60mil in the first eight months
of this year as compared to the same period of last year. 

Mohd Ali said Malaysia exported RM33.4mil halal products, registering a 24.5% increase from the RM26.8mil in 2006. 

Mohd Ali said the halal certification was not confined to foodstuffs
but also consumer items like household goods, cleaning liquids, clothes
and perfumes. 

He said that Malacca State Development Coporation would be developing a
halal hub in a 2ha site in Serkam, with the construction of 34
workshops and 10 shophouses at a cost of RM9.1mil. 

“We have also set aside land for those wanting to set up their plants
to manufacture the halal products in Serkam,” Mohd Ali said. 

He also urged government-linked companies to assist the small
entrepreneurs to market halal products in the domestic and
international markets.