KUCHING: Production of halal products goes beyond just the slaughtering method and using material not derived from pork, said E-Commerce assistant minister Datuk Naroden Majais.
The equipment used, permissibility of substances containing elements traceable to pigs in food-based ingredients as well as preparation and processing method matter, he added.
“Halal products do not only refer to those that do not contain or originate from pig or products from animals that undergo Islamic method of slaughter.
“The preparation and processing are also equally important where we are looking at it holistically; right from the time they were harvested from the farm up to how they are served on the dining table,” he said when officiating at Juh! Halal 2019 seminar held at Menara SEDC in Kuching Isthmus here, yesterday.
“This means when a product is certified halal, the product is clean, hygienic and with high quality,” he added.
A total of 80 participants attended the seminar, organised by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) in collaboration with Sarawak Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and Ministry of Health.
The seminar is aimed to provide exposure and spread the understanding on Halal concept as well as certification principles and procedures.
The seminar would also be held in several locations such as Sibu, Bintulu, Mukah and Miri.
Naroden, who is also Gedong assemblyman, said it was estimated that there were 1.8 billion Muslims in the world which makes up 24.1 per cent of the global population.
Therefore, it is no doubt that the world is increasingly keen to meet global halal demand or in particular, to meet the demands of 18 million Muslim population in Malaysia alone.
“As products supplier, we have to prepare ourselves with knowledge, skills, information and ability in order to meet the customers’ needs who are getting picky and sophisticated by the day, in terms of their taste, quality requirements, cost, packaging, delivery, payment system and others.
“That is why the state government led by the chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg implemented the development policy based on digital economy.
“Technology and the Internet can provide equal level of game play so that small companies can have the same opportunities as the big companies to obtain and process information as well as making decisions based on the same information.
“Through this, we will be able to boost the state’s development and compete with the other states and countries,” he added.
He said that the government provides financial assistance such as loan and grant to support entrepreneur development especially the smallholders.
He said under the federal government alone they were at least six of such assistance, namely Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (Tekun), Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), Agro Bank, Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN).
Under the state government, there were two; SEDC and Ministry of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development (MIED), he added.
“Assistance from SEDC covers six main categories which are Pusat Inkubator dan Bimbingan Usahawan (Pibu), Program Peningkatan Usahawan Bumiputera (Putera), financial aid, entrepreneurship exercise, business premises as well as product promotion and marketing,” Naroden added.
Also present at the opening ceremony were SEDC general manager Abdul Hadi Abdul Kadir, SEDC deputy general manager Edwin Abit and SEDC acting director for Entrepreneurship and Community Development Division Zamirudin Ahmad Mansor.
