PETALING JAYA, April 7 (Bernama) — The International Trade &
Industry Ministry (MITI) Monday pledged to work with Halal Industry
Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (HDC) to step up the pace of growth of
the industry to enable it to meet international demand.
The Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said MITI accepts the
Cabinet’s decision for HDC to remain within the Prime Minister’s
department (JPM).
“We agree with the decision of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi on this and will continue to cooperate with HDC,” he told
reporters after launching the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC)
here and the 2006/2007 Productivity Awards.
He was responding to reports that MITI had sought to have HDC
under its wing to enable it to better promote Malaysia’s halal products
and services overseas.
“Our intention was not to take over the issuance of halal
certificates, we just want to be involved in efforts to step up the
development process of this industry because there’s no point in us
promoting Malaysia throughout the world as a hub for halal food
production when within the country itself, we have yet to develop the
industry’s capacity to grow,” he explained.
He felt that present players in the industry are small in number
and size, “so we are unable to sell in a big way. When people want to
make orders, there are no supplies. So, we must have some planning,” he
stressed.
Muhyiddin also contended that the development of the halal
industry is part of MITI’s portfolio of responsibilities and duties
because HDC is an agency that promotes the industry, in both the food
and non-food sectors.
He said he will meet HDC chief executive officer Datuk Jamil Bidin
soon to find out about how far the corporation has gone to develop the
industry, including tabling the Halal Industry Development Masterplan.
The Cabinet last week decided that HDC will be responsible for the
issuance of the halal certification in the country, taking over that
function from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
HDC will continue to use Jakim’s logo and certificates as it has been in place for a long time and is well-known.
HDC was formed in 2006 by JPM with the objective of establishing
Malaysia as a global halal hub and spearhead the Industry’s growth
worldwide.
— BERNAMA
