Malaysia aims to be Asean halal hub for New Zealand products
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Malaysia intends to tap 5 per cent of the US$5 trillion global halal market by 2050, said Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY
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WELLINGTON – Malaysia is poised to be a halal hub in Asean for products from New Zealand, said Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi.
Datuk Seri Zahid said this comes after two organisations in New Zealand have obtained recognition from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and can use Malaysia as a springboard to widen its export market.
“I have given them the opportunity to use Malaysia as a hub for the distribution of halal products from New Zealand to Asean nations,” he said in a press conference after attending the Malaysia-New Zealand Halal Forum here on July 16.
He said that he had also proposed to halal industry players from New Zealand that they attend the Malaysia International Halal Showcase 2025, which will be held in September in Kuala Lumpur.
“An announcement will be made during the event on joint efforts to set up the Asean Halal Council comprising representation from Asean and Asean Plus Plus nations.
“We invited the bodies which have obtained Jakim recognition to be part of the council,” he added.
He said the goal of the council is to standardise halal certification among Asean nations
“The will be brought up as an agenda during the Asean Summit this coming October,” he added.
Asean Plus Plus refers to a broader regional cooperative framework that includes Asean’s 10 member states plus China, Japan and South Korea.
Meanwhile, Dr Zahid also said that there were talks among several countries under the Gulf Cooperation Council to reactivate the dormant World Halal Council to include both Muslim and non-Muslim nations involved in halal products.
He said this was crucial as the global halal market is expected to grow from the current US$1.3 trillion (S$1.67 trillion) annually to US$3.7 trillion in 2030.
“The market is expected to grow to US$5 trillion by 2050. Malaysia intends to tap 5 per cent of this market,” he added.
Earlier, during the forum, New Zealand’s Biosecurity and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard said that Malaysia is a significant market for premium halal meat products, with exports of more than NZ$60 million (S$48 million).
“Malaysia is facilitating the approval of several New Zealand halal meat premises seeking first-time access to this market, which is crucial to growing exports,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Zahid and Mr Hoggard witnessed the exchange of letters of intent between Universiti Kuala Lumpur and the University of Canterbury.
The partnership aims to strengthen academic and research collaboration, including student and staff mobility.
Key areas of collaboration include chemical engineering, halal food systems and sustainable food production.
Meanwhile, at a separate event, Dr Zahid and his New Zealand counterpart David Seymour witnessed the signing of a document of collaboration between Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia and Victoria University of Wellington (VUW).
The document was inked by New Zealand’s Universities Minister Shane Raymond Reti at a ceremony at VUW.
The collaboration paves the way for planning for joint research implementation, lecturer and student mobility programmes, curriculum exchange and application-oriented learning, and professional development in education.
Dr Zahid is on a five-day working visit to New Zealand that started on July 14. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
