Move to expedite Halal certificates
Published on: Friday, May 06, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jheains) will conduct meetings as often as possible so that applications for halal certificates can be processed speedily.Its Director Abdul Halim Nayan said this would encourage more traders including the small-time and small and medium-sized traders (SMEs) to apply for halal certification from the department."We noted that very few traders are applying for the halal certification from us especially from among the Muslim bumiputera SMEs in Sabah.
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"That is why the department aims to hold meetings more frequently as a way of expediting the process of issuing the halal certification," he said.Halim said this while presenting halal certification to two local SME companies at Wisma Muis here on Thursday.Mama Best Food Manufacturer Sdn Bhd that manufactures frozen steamed buns and a Papar-based company that produces dried local delicacies received the halal certification from Halim.In the meetings, Halim said they will also bring in peer counsellors from various agencies like Sirim, Fama, Mara and Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) to discuss ways to help the SMEs entrepreneurs particularly the Muslim bumiputeras to apply for the halal certificates.
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He said the department also plans to conduct meetings with relevant agencies as well as hold open dialogues with all SME traders to get feedback on relevant matters.As of April this year, Halim who is also Muis Secretary said the department received 93 applications for the halal certificates from various business operations including 21 from bumiputera SMEs.
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Of the 93, he said 58 applications have been approved, involving various business operations such as those operating slaughterhouses, logistics, food products and eateries, while the remaining applications are still being processed.Of the 21, he said only five applications were from Muslim bumiputera traders and only two were approved both of which received the halal certificates here on Thursday.Meanwhile, Mama Best Food Manufacturer Sdn Bhd owner Datin Rozilah Abdullah told reporters that possessing the halal certificate would enable her company to expand and compete with others so that they could penetrate the local and international markets."We are also encouraging more Muslim bumiputera SMEs to apply for the halal certificates so that they could develop their businesses and be competitive."We have been the supplier of the frozen steamed buns in Muslim restaurants from Kota Marudu to Lawas and now we are in the process of exporting our food product to Brunei Darussalam."So far, we do not face stiff competition but there are other companies that are also doing the business so having the halal certificates would give us the edge in gaining the confidence of our customers," she said.As for the Putera Enteprise owner Nabiah Mustaman, she said having the halal certificate would make their customers more confident in their products.She said she has been marketing various types of local dried delicacies such as fritters, sweet potato crackers and sweet potato seaweed crackers, among others, since 2008 and has been the family business for many generations.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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