KOTA KINABALU, Dec 16 — A halal hub will be established in the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) to encourage local entrepreneurs to venture into the halal market, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said the 8.09-hectare hub would provide on-site facilities, technology and digital platforms needed by entrepreneurs in the sector.
“The halal hub will provide guidance to entrepreneurs on the need to obtain halal recognition and MeSTI (Food Safety is Responsibility of the Industry) certification.
“It will also provide assistance in the processing and marketing of the product,” he said in his speech, which was read by State Community Development and People’s Welfare Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, during the closing ceremony of the Malaysia Halal Tour 2021 (JHM) Sabah here today.
Hajiji said Sabah was one of the main contributors to the country’s halal economy, a new growth sector with huge potential.
“A strong halal economy will also be a good sign in attracting more arrivals in the Muslim-friendly tourism sector (MFT), a new segment in Sabah’s tourism sector.
“The halal tourism industry is expected to grow strongly given Sabah’s strategic location in the Brunei–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), which also opens up many direct investment and border trade opportunities with the development in neighbouring Kalimantan, Indonesia,” he said.
Hajiji therefore urged all relevant ministries and agencies as well as industry players to mobilise efforts to increase the international marketability of local halal products.
He said the state government would also continue to provide various initiatives as a catalyst for the halal industry, especially by providing more business opportunities to local small and medium industry entrepreneurs.
“We hope more local companies will venture into the sector because only about 300 companies in Sabah are currently halal-certified even though there are more than 5,000 companies with great potential in the state,” he said. — Bernama
