Brunei: Strategic Halal push

Arko Hananto Budiadi, Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Brunei Darussalam and Captain (Rtd) Zailan bin Pehin Dato Mohd Don in a group photo with entrepreneurs

By Azlan Othman | Borneo Bulletin

A NUMBER of Bruneian companies yesterday signed strategic alliance agreements with global Halal players from Indonesia and Malaysia for enhancing logistics and marketing cooperation.

The deals are expected to help Brunei products to better penetrate the vast global Halal markets.

“The agreements aim to develop the Sultanate as a Halal hub not only for the local market but also the Asean Economic Community, utilising Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) links to market our products,” Captain (Rtd) Zailan bin Pehin Dato Mohd Don, the Principal Mentor of the Cottage and Youth Initiative Programme (CYiP) which organised the signings and Advisor to the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Brunei Darussalam, told the Bulletin yesterday on the sidelines of the signing ceremony.

The agreements, signed between International Halal Trade Hub Services, Tri-Star Shipping and Trading Brunei, FSM Logistics Sdn Bhd Sarawak Malaysia and PT Winmas Logistic Indonesia, aim to provide Halal logistics services and establish efficient connectivity between the BIMP-EAGA and the Asean Plus China, South Korea and Japan, he noted.

“On Standard, Training and Services, a memorandum of understanding was signed between APIM International Academy Sdn Bhd and Bru Trade International Sdn Bhd, an offline marketing arm to provide vendors with professional training services on business, trade and entrepreneurship.

“An agreement was also signed with Indonesian Muslimah Entrepreneurs Association (IPEMI), one of Indonesia’s new and biggest civic organisations and an association established to enhance the role and contribution of Muslim entrepreneurs in empowering the economy of the society,” Captain (Rtd) Zailan added.

CYiP has assisted thousands of nano and micro businesses as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on a daily basis by providing focus group sessions on product quality, packaging and innovation, mainly focussing on made in Brunei products, Captain (Rtd) Zailan said in a speech delivered during the ceremony.

Guest of honour Arko Hananto Budiadi, Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Brunei Darussalam tours the exhibition.

“CYiP Business Programme iCentre was initiated almost one year ago with the aim of promoting Halal trade, creating business leaders who are capable of competing in the global market and encouraging cluster businesses and product branding for premium quality products.

“With the government’s policy to strengthen the private sector to drive Brunei economic growth, the CYiP Business Programme has grown faster than targeted,” he added.

The global Halal market is a $3.7 trillion business and our aim is not to compete for market share but to lead the market in compliance with Syariah obligations, Captain (Rtd) Zailan said.

“Our collaboration with BIMP-EAGA Business Council Brunei Darussalam (BEBC BD) has established a common ground for us to focus on Halal economy. Utilising BIMP-EAGA as the main economic platform through BEBC BD, our primary strategy is to brand Brunei Darussalam as the International Halal Trade Hub and promote Asean Economic Community as the production base and the whole of Asia as the market base.

“Second is to make Central Asia as the Regional Halal Trade Hub and Asia as production base with Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as the market base. Third is to make the Middle East as the main Global Halal Trade Hub,” he added.

At the signing ceremony, International Halal Trade Hub and Services Brunei was represented by Pengiran Haji Haris bin Pengiran Haji Duraman while IPEMI Brunei was represented by its President Ida Lestari. Norhayati binti Abu Bakar and Hajah Asnayanti binti Haji Asnan witnessed the event.

Meanwhile, signing on behalf of Tri-Star Shipping and Trading Brunei was its Managing Director Lim Beng Siong, while for FSM Logistics Sdn Bhd Malaysia was represented by its Managing Director Harry Bennett, witnessed by Tri-Star’s Operations Manager and Tan Sheau Ling and Arifin bin Haji Md Tariff.

Bru Trade International Sdn Bhd of Brunei was represented by its Managing Director Haji Ramlee bin Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Haji Zainuddin with Executive Chairman Dato Sri Erryna binti Haji Abdul Rashid as witness.

APIM International Academy Sdn Bhd was represented by its CEO Dr Suraya @ Rohaya binti Ismail and Managing Director Ariff Fadli bin Abdul Wahab.