Entrepreneur Development Ministry To Boost Halal Ingredient Sector

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Entrepreneur Development (MED) is focused on developing the supply of the main ingredients used in halal products to ​​​​​​stimulate the country's halal industry. Its minister, Mohd Redzuan Yusof, said the initiative was also expected to widen the range of halal products, especially those provided by the Bumiputera small and medium enterprises (SMEs). “Among the measures being taken by the ministry is to develop the halal gelatin manufacturing industry with the involvement of the private sector,” he said during the ministerial question time in the Dewan Rakyat or lower house of Parliament Tuesday. He was answering a question from Dr Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) on the number of SMEs that had obtained halal certification following the 2019 Budget announcement of the RM100 million allocation to improve the SME industry's capabilities in the halal sector. Mohd Redzuan explained the RM100 million allocation was given to the Finance Ministry, the Economic Affairs Ministry, the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry, and the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to support the growth of the halal industry and halal hub development project. "MED did not receive any special allocation under the 2019 Budget with regard to the halal industry. Nonetheless, the ministry has implemented several programmes to help grow the halal industry in the country,” he said. Citing Jakim's figures, he said 1,624 companies were issued the Malaysia Halal Certification out of the 3,268 companies that applied during the Nov 1, 2018 - Feb 28, 2019 period. Mohd Redzuan said among programmes carried out by MED were the Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Programme, Business Accelerator Programme, One District One Industry (SDSI) showcase programme, and Malaysia Halal Expo 2019. He said the SDSI programme would be expanded to other states to assist SMEs in promoting their products. So far, two SDSI series have been held involving the participation of 52 entrepreneurs in Perak and 96 entrepreneurs in Terengganu. Replying to a supplementary question from Noraini on the coordination between the ministries that received the Budget 2019 allocation to develop the SME halal sector, Mohd Redzuan said the streamlining and rationalisation effort was being done under the National Entrepreneurship Framework (NEF). “Under the framework, the first thing that has been agreed at the Cabinet level is that all forms of SMEs will be placed under MED's purview. “One of our tasks is to coordinate all types of entrepreneurship involving SMEs among the various ministries. We do not want any ministry with involvement in entrepreneurial activities to work in a silo,” he said. The NEF has 21 strategic objectives, among which is to raise the SMEs’ contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product, which stood at 37.1 per cent in 2017, to 41 per cent by 2020. -- BERNAMA