| 
YB DATO' MUKHRIZ MAHATHIR
DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY
4th WORLD HALAL RESEARCH SUMMIT 2011
7TH APRIL 2011 (THURSDAY)
KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE
Assalamualaikum W.B.T and Salam 1Malaysia.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim,
Chairman of Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC); Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Seri Jamil Bidin,
Chief Executive Officer of HDC;
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Speakers, Honorable Guests;
Members of the Media;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
1. I am delighted to be here with you this morning, as my presence here allows the Malaysian Government with an opportunity to reiterate its resounding commitment towards the development of the halal industry. I would also like to wish all our foreign guests a very warm welcome to Malaysia and ‘Selamat Datang’ to all.
2. Congratulations to the host of this Summit – Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), for having successfully brought together distinguished speakers and participants to this event. I am happy to note that this event is being held for the fourth consecutive time and has over the years attracted participation from all over the world. I hope that we can make full use of this platform to use the research and development findings and commercialise them. This would enable us to create more value add to halal products and services.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
3. This 4th Summit aims at inspiring halal-related research findings in commercially viable areas along the halal supply chain. This can further spur competitiveness and boost economic growth to any country and this prestigious event aptly carries the theme, ‘Catalyst for Growth in the Halal Industry’. This is indeed relevant as we seek to enlighten and share with each other the important findings and discoveries relevant to halal which can be translated into meaningful halal related businesses and thereafter contribute towards our national economy. At the same time, let us forge meaningful business relationships and further enhance trade and investment in halal products and services.
4. Continuous human capital and knowledge development is imperative in the development of any industry. In halal industry, technological advancement and innovation in products and services could render halal standards and procedures obsolete. Consumer’s demand and production trends are also ever changing. In meeting these needs, more R&D is required to fulfill the requirements in the area of food safety, halal standards and certification procedures. Research into these areas can help widen the range of halal products which can be made available for consumers, particularly Muslim consumers. It is hoped that the meeting of intellectual minds at this Summit will be conducted through an interactive and exploratory process as we seek to discover new research findings and emerging technologies to address issues and challenges faced in the halal industry.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
5. Malaysia is among one of the earliest nations in the world to develop halal standards. The Malaysian Halal Standard which has been revised and now known as the MS 1500:2009 ‘Halal Food Production, Preparation, Handling and Storage – General Guidelines’, is widely accepted as the reference document to produce quality halal food for consumers. The Halal Standards has been developed based on consensus, transparency and openness, taking into consideration the interests of stakeholders, industries and consumers worldwide. It is a universal solution acceptable by all, without compromising the Syariah requirements. World renowned multinationals such as Nestle, Colgate Palmolive, Ajinomoto and Unilever among others, have adopted the Malaysian Halal Food Standard MS1500:2009.
6. The Government has expanded the Malaysian Halal Standards to cover other halal related industries as it has provided new business propositions for many industry players. The MS 2500:2011 Halal Pharmaceutical – Guidelines has also been recently developed to provide the yardstick for the highly regulated pharmaceutical products which is governed by International Standards. This standard is being widely used by the pharmaceutical industry in Malaysia.
7. One such example is the Chemical Company of Malaysia (CCM). CCM Pharmaceuticals is Malaysia’s largest generic pharmaceutical manufacturer and the first to secure halal certification for its health supplements and healthcare products. It currently has halal certification for more than 180 products including over-the-counter products, catering to children and adults. This is certainly encouraging and it is hoped that more pharmaceutical manufacturers will use the halal pharmaceutical standards as well as the other halal standards which has been developed, namely MS 2200: 2008 ‘Islamic Consumer Goods – Part 1 – Cosmetic and Personal Care – General Guidelines’ and MS 2400:2010 ‘Halalan-Toyyiban Assurance Pipeline’. The Halal Logistic Standard has now been adopted by multinational companies including Kontena Nasional Berhad, MISC Integrated Logistics and Nippon Express. We would also like to share these Halal Standards with other countries and interested parties through economic collaborations or strategic partnerships.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
8. Among the potential areas identified under the Halal Industry Master Plan include the halal ingredients industry. Malaysia is in the position to spearhead the development of the halal ingredients industry as we have conducted extensive research and development in all aspects of palm oil. Malaysia has pioneered technological breakthroughs in the palm oil industry with the development of the palm oil based oleochemicals industry. We already have the expertise in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and ingredients with R&D findings ready for commercialisation in these areas.
9. We should be able to use these to find alternative halal ingredients and the halal additives to replace non-halal ones due to the increasing demand by consumers. The potentials that exist within the halal industry remain untapped particularly in the pharmaceutical and halal ingredient industry. As such there are opportunities for investments particularly in the production of vaccines, chemicals, flavors, seasonings, herbs & spices as well as emulsifiers and gelatin.
10. In the global market, consumers worldwide continue to seek safe and quality products. Coupled with the concern of global food safety and food shortage, the issue of traceability remains a key factor. Nowhere is traceability more important than in the Halal sector where Halal Integrity is to be preserved and providing a non-adulterated supply-chain.
11. The Halal Traceability and tracking system is one of the most important components within the halal eco-system. An effective traceability and tracking system can help lessen the risks of food-borne diseases and accidental outbreaks associated with contamination that can disrupt any country’s trade performance.
12. Traceability and tracking systems function as a tool for communication making information available along the supply chain. The better and more precise the traceability system, the faster a producer can identify and resolve food safety or quality problems. Through this traceability solution, we can build the trust and confidence of consumers on halal products and for halal to be the premier halal brand that is accepted widely across the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
13. The Malaysian Government is fully committed towards making Malaysia a Global Halal Hub. Throughout Malaysia, the Government has developed 20 halal-dedicated parks or halal parks with 9 already in operation with investments totaling RM 4.67 billion. These halal parks are a vital link in the halal supply chain and we are also keen to implement traceability solutions and usage of similar devices in the halal parks and across various industry sectors. The halal parks host halal industry players while offering all the amenities and support they need for their business operations. These halal parks can be connected via a halal traceability and tracking system. The availability of such a concept within the halal parks will make Malaysia a more attractive investment destination for halal-related activities and enable halal products to penetrate sophisticated global markets.
14. HDC in collaboration with Labuan Corporation, has made significant strides towards developing a halal traceability system. A pilot traceability system project in Labuan is already in place. Moving forward, there are plans to implement the system for a selection of halal-related companies. This measure has been undertaken as part of the strategy to enhance product assurance, market accessibility and establish a comprehensive risk management system based on international standards. These initiatives can contribute towards increasing competitiveness and build consumer’s trust.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
15. I am sure this year’s Summit will prove to be another interesting event for the halal industry. I understand that our distinguished speakers will share their insights and views covering research findings on traceability, nanotechnology, innovation and many other halal related issues. Certainly, these are interesting topics which can be challenging and thought provoking to every participant. Therefore, it is my hope that this World Halal Research Summit will encourage strategic collaborations and intellectual discourse where we can all contribute towards the prosperity of the halal economy. I hope you will all have productive and meaningful sessions throughout the Summit.
16. Before I end, once again I would like to thank the organiser of the 4th World Halal Research Summit 2011. Special thanks also to the Summit partners; Salamfone, Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Berhad, Chemical Company of Malaysia Berhad and Nestle Malaysia Berhad for coming forward to demonstrate your commitment in supporting this Summit.
17. To our friends from overseas, I hope you will take time to visit places of interests in our beautiful country.
Thank you. |
No comments:
Post a Comment