By Sheeda Fathil
SHAH ALAM, July 30 — Halal International Selangor (HIS) Toyyiba Sdn Bhd has identified 35,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state that have the potential to be halal certified.
Its general manager Muhammad Syaril Showkat Ali said though most of these entrepreneurs — all registered with Platform Selangor (PLATS) — are eligible to be halal certified, they lack guidance.
“Last September, we discussed this matter with Menteri Besar (Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari) to include halal elements for all PLATS entrepreneurs.
“First, we want to help them obtain halal certification, and second, expand their presence in the domestic market and eventually go international,” he said at the launch of the U-PLATS Halal Module 4 programme at the Raja Tun Uda Library here yesterday.
Syaril said based on data shared by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department, 5,099 Selangor entrepreneurs have applied for Malaysia’s halal certificate.
“Of that, 4,011, or 78 per cent, are MSMEs. This demonstrates that obtaining a halal certificate is not limited to large companies or multinational corporations, but achievable at all levels of business,” he said.
[caption id="attachment_366004" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Participants of the U-PLATS Halal Module 4 seen at its launch at Raja Tun Uda Library, Shah Alam, on July 29, 2024. — Picture by NUR ADIBAH AHMAD IZAM/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
Syaril said 9,162 businesses received their halal certificates last year, of which 1,472 have successfully exported products.
“They contributed RM53.7 billion to the export value of halal products, with MSMEs contributing RM5.25 billion.
“This information is based on the Halal Industry Master Plan 2023 implementation report. It effectively highlights the significant opportunities for entrepreneurs with halal certificates to enter the main market and potentially export their products overseas,” he said.
PLATS, which was introduced in 2020 after the movement restriction order during the Covid-19 pandemic, is an initiative to assist MSMEs in business digitalisation.
HIS is a state government programme aimed at establishing Selangor as a global halal leader, while HIS Toyyiba Sdn Bhd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) entrusted to spearhead the initiative.
It serves as the lead agency for three key initiatives in the Selangor Halal Action Plan 2020-2030.
