LONDON, Oct 28 — Halal Development Corporation Bhd (HDC), together with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), will lead efforts to simplify the entire halal certification process by streamlining the application process.

At the World Halal Business Conference Circuit 2023 (WHBC Circuit 2023) here today, HDC and Digital Panacea Sdn Bhd (DPSB) achieved a significant milestone as they exchanged documents, marking the soft launch of the National Halal Digital Platform (NHDP).

The NHDP has been developed by both companies to provide innovative solutions and improvements to the Halal Malaysia certification process, specifically in the pre-approval and post-approval stages.

At the event, HDC was represented by its chief executive officer Hairol Ariffein Sahari and DPSB was represented by its managing director Syed Mohammad Hafiz Jamalullail, with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the main witness.

In a statement, HDC chairman Khairul Azwan Harun commented that NHDP aimed to revolutionise the halal application process, offering a comprehensive digital platform that ensures efficient and seamless processing.

"While Jakim will remain the approving authority, NHDP will monitor and manage the entire application journey, from pre-approval to post-approval.

"By incorporating disruptive technologies and features, NHDP will provide applicants with tools for regulatory compliance and halal assurance, including traceability features,” he said.

According to the statement, HDC had been given the mandate by Majlis Pembangunan Industri Halal, a national council to advise the Malaysian government in halal industry matters, to champion improvements of the pre-approval and post-approval stage of the Halal Malaysia certification process.

Jakim, on the other hand, will focus on improving the approval stage towards reducing the processing time to just 30 working days and upon approval, NHDP will make halal certification accessible and convenient for all, placing everything at the fingertips of users.

On another note, HDC said it is also working towards incorporating the i-Mesra system which will be the tool for food and beverages (F&B) operators to initiate and guide their journey towards halal certification.

HDC pointed out that the i-MESRA system will be a thorough reference validation system for F&B operators and consumers to ensure that the food served and sold is using halal-certified ingredients.

"The National Halal Digital Platform is a game-changer for the halal industry.

"We are not only optimising and facilitating the halal certification process leveraging on emerging technology but we are also opening up more opportunities for technology startups, service providers and industry experts to work together with HDC through NHDP to collectively elevate our national halal economy,” Hairol Ariffein said.

The WHBC Circuit 2023 is a platform where Malaysia promotes market access and internationalisation by fostering collaborations and partnerships with other countries.

This initiative creates cross-border trade and investment opportunities for Malaysian businesses in the global halal market. — Bernama