Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei will soon have its very own set of
guidelines and standards for the manufacture of halal pharmaceuticals
and food products, as well as the designs for the AgriTechnology Park
and the establishment of a joint-venture vehicle to promote the Brunei
Halal Brand internationally.
These new developments is expected to be announced during the
upcoming International Halal Market Conference (IHMC), which will take
place on August 1-2 at the International Convention Centre in Berakas.
Abdaihamid David Evans, a senior analyst from the consultancy firm
appointed to manage the IHMC disclosed this to The Brunei Times
yesterday. However, he did not elaborate on the details of these
developments and said that it would only be revealed during the
conference itself.
At a media briefing on the IHMC at the Ministry
of Industry and Primary Resources, Abdaihamid said that Brunei was
possibly among one of the first countries, if not the first, to have
completed the standards for pharmaceuticals and personal healthcare
products. Placing the nation on the “frontline” for developing halal
standards.
One of the speakers slated to deliver a presentation during the
conference, Zubaidah Mahmud, senior scientific officer at the
Department of Pharmaceutical Services. Ministry of Health is expected
to delve into detail on the country’s halal pharmaceutical guidelines.
Abdaihamid said this would be a significant milestone and
achievement for Brunei. “Brunei has developed a very good halal
standard, in terms of being rigorous and attention to detail.” he said.
“It makes it clear to anyone in the halal sector that Brunei takes
halal very seriously’.
He mentioned aspects of halal practices carried out by Brunei, such
as the nation’s insistence on avoiding the use of stunning and the
hand-slaughter of animals.
He said that the ulama, or religious scholars around the world, had
different views on halal procedures and thus, countries also practiced
these procedures differently. However, in light of these differences
between international halal procedures. He pointed out that Brunei has
gone for the “strictest approach”. “Basically (it means that) a product
from Brunei should be halal compliant anywhere else because it should
have exceeded the minimum standards of any country.” he said.
He said that once the industry becomes compliant with those standards, it would put the industry in a very strong position.
He added that Brunei’s existing standards were very comprehensive
and if the halal pharmaceutical products could match the standard of
the nation’s halal foods, this would give the country two “very strong
elements” to compete within the halal industry.
Abdalhamid went on to say that the challenge would then be to build from there.
“The challenges for Brunei (then) are not so much to do with
standards development. (But rather) about building up local industry.”
he said. — Courtesy ofThe Brunei Times
