HDC and JAKIM agree to work more closely on Halal industry

Malaysia’s Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) and Halal authority JAKIM signed an MOU today to put in place specific capabilities and resources for those who wish to participate more visibly and profitably in the Halal industry.

The MoU signing, witnessed by the YB Senator Dato’ Dr Mashitah Ibrahim, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, spells out four working areas between the two parties, which when rolled out to the investing and entrepreneurial sectors, will tantamount to a more committed and expanded Halal industry.

The areas that will be offered to the Halal investing public include:

1. Training and Consultancy
2. Industry Relations & Linkages
3. Knowledge Sharing & Information, and
4. Halal Malaysia Promotions

“We are pleased to come to some understanding with JAKIM as to what could be done for further developing the Halal industry,” said Dato’ Seri Jamil Bidin, CEO of HDC. “A majority of SMEs would particularly appreciate getting more acquainted with the Halal certification process and procedures. Obtaining the right information and knowledge-sharing are therefore our objectives under this joint arrangement.”

From left, Dato’ Seri Jamil Bidin, CEO of HDC and Dato’ Hj Wan Mohamad Dato’ Sheikh Abd Aziz, Director-General of JAKIM exchanging documents. May the collaboration yield bountiful harvest for local Halal SMEs.

The MoU will run for a period of two years, after which the scope will be reviewed. To date HDC has conducted a total of 482 training sessions for different target groups. A total of 10,066 companies have attended their training programmes started in 2007.

“The number of participants has been increasing from year to year. Just this quarter alone we have completed training for 3,782 participants,” said Jamil. ”The courses offered are well-structured and focus on the needs of the public as well as the industry in meeting global demand.”

HDC’s training courses include the Halal Awareness Programme (HAP) for the general public, the Halal Industry Programme (HIP) for industry players, and the Halal Professional Programme (HPP) for special professional groups.

In terms of training modules, both HDC and JAKIM will collaborate for developing greater Halal understanding in food, non-food and services sectors, including:

• Halal Foods Training Modules (reference to MS1500:2009 – The Halal Food Standards)
• Halal Cosmetic Training Modules (reference to MS2200:2008 – The Halal Cosmetic Standards)
• Halal Logistic Training Modules (reference to MS2400:2010 – The Halal Logistic Standards)
• Halal Pharmaceutical Modules (reference to MS2424:2011 – Halal Pharmaceuticals Standards) – are currently being developed.

To ensure that the Halal training modules are comprehensive, practical, user-friendly and accredited, HDC had worked with designated subject matter specialists. As examples, the Halal cosmetics training module was accomplished with UPM and industry representatives (UNZA, Colgate Palmolive) and JAKIM while the Halal logistics training module was done in consultation with the Malaysia Institute of Transport (MITRANS), UiTM and industry representatives, such as MISC, KLAS, QSR, FELDA-Johore Bulkers, and JAKIM.

As the Halal authority, JAKIM will evaluate the Halal training modules, basically to meet the necessary Halal standards and requirements. In the area of Halal consultancy services, HDC will be the agency referred to by JAKIM, in the event that issues related to Halal and its requirements, are raised by the industry players at any of these stages – upon making the on-line application, before compliance audit by JAKIM and after the compliance audit by JAKIM, where HDC receives Non Conformance Request (NCR) letter from JAKIM for applicants to rectify the findings during the Halal audit.

To further strengthen the Halal Hub Division of JAKIM, especially their audit and monitoring team, HDC will conduct Halal Logistic Auditors training programmes in three (3) batches. The first training programme for group 1 will be conducted from 16 – 20 May 2011 at the Institut Latihan Islam Malaysia (ILIM), followed by another two groups in August 2011.

For more information, please visit HDC’s website at www.hdcglobal.com.

Posted by admin on 20.04.2011. Filed under Asia, H-INDUSTRY. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry