MUAR:
Malay entrepreneurs have been urged to emulate the business commitment
of the non-Malays when venturing into the halal food industries.
Deputy
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said
logically, the Malays should be monopolising the halal food industry as
it was synonymous with Islam.
“However, it is the other way
around and the Malays are being left far behind compared to the
non-Malays in the halal food market share, both domestically and at the
international level.
“This shows that the saying ‘where there is
a will, there is a way’ is true. The non-Malays have shown strong will
in capturing a greater share in the halal food market,” he said after
launching the southern zone Malay entrepreneur festival here yesterday.
Mukhriz
said because of their strong business determination, the non-Malays had
managed to produce more halal products for both the domestic and
international markets.
He said Malay entrepreneurs still had
room to venture into the halal food market, which had an annual global
value of about RM7.4 trillion.
He said with the global
population of Muslims estimated at 1.6 billion people in 2008, and the
number increasing every year, the Malays had vast opportunities in
capturing the market.
On the festival, which was organised by
the Malaysian Malay Chambers of Commerce, Mukhriz said it was a
platform by which the chambers could provide encouragement to Malays in
their entrepreneurial ventures.
He said those who were
successful should not think about forging business empires but focus on
plans to help others, especially those who had just started on their
own ventures.
Mukhriz said they would not lose out if they were
to give priority to developing other entrepreneurs because when many
had succeeded in businesses, this would strengthen the business network.
“The
Government will always provide the necessary assistance to those
interested in business and there are also several agencies as well as
banks to help the entrepreneurs.
“All that is needed is for the entrepreneurs to be committed and work hard to achieve success in their ventures,” he added.
