Sobrina Rosli
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
BRUNEI’S halal agro-technology park will have more chance of success if
it is designed in a way it groups halal goods makers with institutions
that will provide support in terms of research, administrative matters
and logistics.
This was among the issues raised yesterday
during the last day of the International Halal Market Conference which
opened on Sunday.
This “cluster approach” will result in value
creation, increase productivity and innovation and encourage new
businesses in a systematic way,said Marco Tieman managing director at
LBB Teams Sdn Bhd of Malaysia.
The critical components of an
effective cluster include possessing a dynamic or competitive
advantage, a geographical concentration, speed and efficacy of the
halal cluster, unique halal industry model and the presence of
home-based firms, he said.
Prior to the park’s design,
authorities should identify the right clusters to produce an operative
park model, Tieman said. This will include a stakeholder analysis
ensuring full support from all agencies involved, finding out the
current foundation of the country to establish a halal industry,
determining the park’s role as part of the halal value chain as well as
the actual cluster design.
Tieman presented Brunei as a case study in developing the park.
He
said the core cluster will include areas such as a halal incubator
centre, research and development, halal laboratory services and the
halal authority of Brunei.
The second cluster will include
supporting and supply industries, such as a halal university campus,
conference centre and a halal science centre.
The third cluster will include the stakeholders in the park project.
The
halal park is envisioned to be of world-class standard equipped with
modern facilities and technology, while providing a business
environment that could entice investors to put in capital.
After
design comes the need to ensure the design is workable by ensuring
effective flow of information within the clusters, he said, noting the
structure will encourage the exchange and flow of information about
needs, techniques and technology among the researches, with the halal
industry using mechanisms coordinated by creating trust and mitigating
difference in interests.
Tieman said information will flow
within the cluster through annual conferences, roundtable meetings as
well as personal relationships.
In a separate session, Shahed
Amanullah, creator of zabihah.com and founder of Halalfire Media LLC
highlighted the importance of leveraging the halal initiative on the
Internet. He cited his own experiences in using the Internet to vet
halal services and goods in the US.
Since it was founded in
1998, zabihah.com has helped Muslim consumers and even a growing number
of non-Muslim consumers in the US to find and review halal services in
their area, comprising of 6,000 restaurants and markets worldwide.
Over the years, the website carried reviews from consumers about halal restaurants and goods. The Brunei Times
