MIHAS 2017: Halal to the World

For the past 14 years, Malaysia has been the world’s hub for Halal’s industry. We are seeing Halal certifications in some of the food products we buy in the supermarket, but what exactly is Halal? “Halal is the way of protecting either fruit or meat, an example is the process of killing the animal.

We in Islam there is special procedure in doing this. We can’t just kill the animal.  This is a requirement and this is a Muslim ritual. Any animal that need to be slaughtered must conform to the tenets of the Islamic religion. The blood in the animal must be flushed out. The Islamic believe that it’s one way of cleansing. We are not just talking about a single perspective but the whole process. The food that the animals are eating must be of Halal. We can’t just feed the cow any food. Even in the process of packaging as well as storing it. The whole concept has to be considered that strict requirement of Halal. We can’t mix the Halal meat with a non-Halal meat in the storing process,” says Mr. Abubakar Koyakutty in an interview with COOK Magazine. Koyakutty is the Senior Director of Market Access and International Partnership of MATRADE at MIHAS 2017.

Mr. Abu Bakar Koyakutty, Senior Director Market Access and International Partnership Division of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation; and Mr. Mohammad Aminuddin Sham Tajudin, Director Food Biotech and Halal Unit Products and Services Protection Division during the presscon in MATRADE Exhibitor and Convention Center.

Known as the world’s largest Halal trade show, Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) opened its doors to the world on April 05-08, 2017. For 14 years, MIHAS has successfully connected halal businesses to the world. This global event aims to provide a platform for Malaysian and international companies in the Halal industry for trade relations, exchange of knowledge, and product innovations.

MIHAS 2017 hosted 580 exhibitors from 33 countries consisting of the ASEAN nations, Palestine, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, the Netherlands, Brazil, South Africa, China, Japan, Taiwan, and many more. This year’s exhibition witnessed the first participation of Austria and Finland.  MIHAS 2017 is organized by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) under the custom of Ministry of International Tradeand Industry of Malaysia. The event is officially launched by YAB Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Bin Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur (KLCC). “MIHAS promotes the whole agenda of Halal and puts Malaysia on the map as a market leader in this highly lucrative industry. Kuala Lumpur lights up with the gathering of key players from many continents. Above and beyond that, it showcases the benefits of implementing Islamic values to the world’s economy,” YAB Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Bin Hamidi said.

HALAL EXTENDS TO NON-FOOD   

This year’s MIHAS event catered not just only Halal food products but as well as the non-food.  MIHAS 2017 highlighted various segments within the global Halal industry supply chain in four different main clusters namely: Food (paste, sauces, ready-to-eat meals, and confectionery); Non-foodproducts (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and palm oil-based products); Certified Premises (hotels, restaurants, central kitchens and slaughterhouses); and Islamic financial services (banking services, takaful and retirement and pension fund).

“Halal is about complying. Halal is about cleansing, according to the Islamic process. For example, if the water is contaminated, it is considered as not Halal. If you look at the sphere of the products, it is mainly focused on foods but eventually you can extend it to non-food. Then we also expand it to Islamic Finance. Islamic Finance is strictly against the interest. So that gives another perspective on Islamic Finance,” explains Mohammad Aminuddin Sham Tajudim, Director Food, Biotech and Halal Unit, Products and Services of MATRADE. “For Halal it’s about logistics. The emphasis is on the cause contamination. So if you use the Halal, it means it is dedicated to containment of the supply chain, which is the logistic chain like warehousing and transportation.  Halal and non-Halal products should not be mixed because they can be contaminated.”

MIHAS 2017: THE EXHIBITION

Over 418 Malaysian exporters and 172 foreign buyers from 46 countries take part in the International Sourcing Programme (INSP) in conjunction with the 14th Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2017. The INSP is themed as “Buyers-Sellers Meet”.

The INSP is a key component of the trade event apart from its exhibition where the participating Malaysian companies get to enjoy the privilege of meeting with specially invited foreign buyers. The INSP is a cost-effective platform for Malaysian companies to meet potential buyers from around the world at the comfort of their own home country. There were Filipinos spotted in the event closing deals with the Malaysian Halal certified products sellers.

“The INSP facilitates business matching for local companies, especially the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), so they could expand their business globally without having to bear hefty travel fees. Over the years, we have faithfully turned this annual gathering of buyers and sellers to become an important meeting point for our Halal exporters and foreign importers to further expand their business horizon in the global market” explained Mr. Koyakutty.

Among the exhibition were food innovations from different Malaysian companies—the veryfirst coconut water powder in a 20-gram sachet, Malaysian chocolates, tuna flosses, and not to mention the other Halal certified food products. These Malaysian companies are planning to export their products mainly in the Southeast Asian countries.

Group picture with the International Media and MATRADE Strategic Communications Unit

MIHAS will return next year at MIHAS 2018, which will take place from 4 to 7 April 2018 at MATRADE International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur. For more details on the event, visit www.mihas.com.my. Follow MATRADE on Facebook – www.facebook.com/MATRADEHQ, Twitter – www.twitter.com/MATRADE. Download “Trade2Media” (Android) for MATRADE’s latest media updates.