tag

Malaysian authorities announced on Monday that the recent floods in the country have displaced more than 10,000 people, with the northern state of Kelantan being the most affected.Kelantan, which has been experiencing continuous heavy rainfall for several days, recorded the evacuation of 8,248 people due to the floods. The displaced were moved to 33 flood relief centers, according to the authorities.The Meteorological Department has issued warnings of continued heavy rainfall and strong winds.In Dec. 2014, Malaysia experienced an unprecedented flood that struck several western states, resulting in the displacement of about 400,000 people after they lost their homes and belongings.

Katara Cultural Village hosted on Tuesday an event on Malaysia’s flavours and food culture. It showcased a cornucopia of traditional dishes, musical performances, and high-profile presentations, reflecting the diverse ingredients and environments that have shaped Malaysian culture throughout history. Addressing the event, Malaysian ambassador Mohammad Faizal Razali, said that the food culture in Malaysia is a mirror of its identity and cultural diversity. The Malaysian cuisine, he said, weaves together flavours and traditions that embody the spirit of unity and coexistence within the community. Razali highlighted that this event commemorates identity and heritage, as well as people-to-people cultural relations. He emphasised that Malaysian food is a component that brings people together and expresses national harmony as a key feature. The envoy called on the attendees to explore the splendor of Malaysia’s landscape and its diverse culture, noting the collaboration with Katara and national institutions, a move that contributes to promoting cultural and humanitarian rapprochement between the two nations, elevating the exchange of creativity, hospitality, and tourism to new heights.

Companies from Qatar that participated in the recently concluded Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur have lauded the event for its role in helping enrich the Qatari market with a wide range of innovative halal products.Companies such as Lari Group, Al Majid Jawad, and Qatar National Import & Export (QNIE) participated in the ‘Premium Buyers’ segment of the International Sourcing Programme (INSP), one of the key components of the four-day event held at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).Describing MIHAS 2025 as “busy, fruitful, and promising,” Lari Group chairman Abdulrazaq Lari noted that “Malaysian products are well-received in Qatar,” and explained that while the country has sufficient halal facilities, product variety remains a challenge, especially niche categories like confectionery.Moreover, Lari has expressed full confidence in Malaysian halal standards, adding that Lari Group actively shares feedback with Malaysian suppliers to meet Qatari consumer preferences. He lauded Malaysian companies for supplier responsiveness, particularly in tailoring product flavours to suit Qatari tastes. This ongoing exchange of feedback and adaptation exemplifies a productive and culturally sensitive business relationship, Lari said.Drawn by MIHAS 2025’s focus on halal products and rising demand in Qatar, Reji Sam, Group Brand manager of Al Majid Jawad, noted that participation in the exhibition marks the company’s first appearance at the event, despite longstanding relationships with Malaysian suppliers.He emphasised Malaysia’s reputation for stringent and consistent halal certification, contrasting it with the fluctuating standards in other countries. According to him, MIHAS serves as a gateway to discovering new, unique F&B products that can meet rising demands.Waqqas Jaffar, Category supervisor at Qatar National Import & Export (QNIE), praised the organisation and energy of MIHAS 2025, noting the enthusiasm of Malaysian companies eager to export to Qatar. With a limited number of halal brands currently available, Jaffar sees MIHAS as a strategic platform to explore new offerings, particularly in health-conscious categories.MATRADE announced earlier that the results from its flagship INSP are set to help MIHAS achieve its RM4.5bn sales targets. The INSP, a central pillar of the event, saw more than 4,000 physical business meetings arranged between 600 Malaysian sellers and 300 international buyers, including top-tier retailers and hypermarkets with combined annual revenues exceeding RM1.5tn.The programme, which also features a virtual component running until November 5, 2025, has already generated significant sales and is expected to surpass last year’s RM2.52bn achievement, thereby strengthening Malaysia’s trade ties across Asean, the GCC, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.MATRADE chairman Reezal Merican Naina Merican emphasised MIHAS’ role as a catalyst for Malaysia’s halal leadership: “The strong performance of the INSP this year underscores the global demand for Malaysia’s halal offerings. Through MIHAS and our digital platforms, we are enabling Malaysian exporters to connect with high-value global buyers and unlock new opportunities.”MATRADE CEO Mustafa Abdul Aziz emphasised that INSP is about building long-term business linkages: “The meetings conducted at the INSP are not just transactions, but opportunities for Malaysian exporters to forge lasting partnerships in high-value markets. This is how we position Malaysian halal products and services as trusted global brands.“One of the key strengths of the INSP is MATRADE’s ability to leverage our network of 48 overseas trade offices to curate carefully and pre-qualify buyers, which ensures that the business meetings are highly targeted, connecting Malaysian companies with buyers who have genuine demand. This, in turn, leads to successful business deals and long-lasting partnerships.”

Malaysia is intensifying efforts to expand halal trade with economies in the Middle East, positioning its halal industry as a global economic model that emphasises trust, quality, and shared cultural values, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Abdul Aziz has said.The minister made the statement during the recent launch of the Global Halal Summit (GHAS) 2025, where Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spoke on the importance of the Southeast Asian nation’s role in promoting the halal industry through events like the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2025, which concluded Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.Speaking at the launch event, held in conjunction with MIHAS 2025, Aziz stated: “...by catalysing Asean’s FTA negotiations with Australia, China, India, the GCC, and many others, Malaysia is effectively starting to build interoperable halal value chains across Asean, the Middle East, and even Africa. “Underscoring Malaysia’s leadership in forging a South-South trade ecosystem, Aziz said the ministry has pushed for the internationalisation of MIHAS, which made its debut in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) via ‘[email protected] pointed out that MIHAS@Dubai helped in providing access for Malaysian businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMES) to markets across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.Aziz announced that the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) will be organising the next international edition of MIHAS in Shanghai, China, under the MIHAS@Shanghai initiative this coming November.“MIHAS@Shanghai will bridge gaps, open access to multi-billion-ringgit markets, as well as enhance multilateral trade and investment. It will also elevate Malaysia and Asean’s position as the preferred halal trading partner and production hub in the Asian region,” he explained.Aziz also said: “By expanding halal trade, Malaysia is not only capturing value from a fast-growing global sector, but also hedging against volatility in traditional commodities, while reinforcing our role as a bridge between the Muslim world and global markets.“...at a time when geoeconomic competition is driving nations to secure resilient and diversified supply chains, halal offers Malaysia a strong edge that can anchor our SMEs and exporters in new growth markets across Asean, the Middle East and Africa.”In a keynote speech at the launch of GHAS 2025, the prime minister announced that Malaysia is leveraging its leadership in the halal economy as a strategic tool of economic diplomacy, underscoring the country’s 11-year reign atop the Global Islamic Economy Indicator (GIEI).“Malaysia’s excellence is particularly evident in Islamic finance, halal food, as well as media and recreation. This is a result of the government’s concerted effort to position the halal industry as one of the central pillars of the nation’s strategic growth,” Ibrahim said, citing the Halal Industry Master Plan (HIMP) 2030 and the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 as clear pathways “to position Malaysia as the world’s leading halal hub.”He added: “Under the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan (13MP), significant funds are allocated to further boost the growth of the halal sector. In return, the sector is projected to contribute RM231bn or 10.8% to the national GDP by 2030, driven by strong demand in food, finance and tourism. By way of comparison, the global halal market is valued at over RM16.02tn and is expected to reach RM22.88tn by 2030.

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean in 2025 is poised to catalyse a new era of cross-regional halal collaboration, particularly between Southeast Asia and Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, the top official of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) has said.Asked about Qatar’s growing role in halal innovation and its strategic investment across Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) markets, and how Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship and MATRADE’s leadership open new pathways for cross-regional halal collaboration between Southeast Asia and the Gulf, MATRADE chairman Reezal Merican Naina Merican told Gulf Times that the two regions are seen as the “main beacon” and “main catalyst” in promoting halal globally.Merican noted that the GCC pavilion "includes participation from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain, among others," while the Asean pavilion reflects robust regional engagement, with “300” buyers and “600” exhibitors from Asean countries participating in the International Sourcing Programme (INSP), a main component of the 21st Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS), which will run until September 20 at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC).“Altogether, out of about 900 [buyers], 300 are coming from Asean. Out of 2,400 exhibitors, 600 are from ASEAN countries,” said Merican, who also highlighted the presence of "first-time participants from Africa and Latin America, including Ghana, Mali, Congo, Senegal, Nigeria, Panama, and Costa Rica, as well as Central Asian nations, such as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan."“We are seeing a very productive, fruitful, and more importantly, long and lasting partnership between Malaysian exporters and overseas buyers,” the MATRADE chairman also pointed out.Merican also revealed that Asean has elevated halal as a priority economic deliverable under Malaysia’s presidency, with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi proposing the establishment of an Asean Halal Council.“Not just to look at Malaysia as one of the main and premier promoters of halal, but to see Asean as a region being one of the major players in promoting and also in providing the support of a global halal chain globally,” he said.Merican also highlighted the scale of MIHAS 2025’s INSP, which is expected to generate 2.5bn Malaysian ringgit in sales through more than 4,000 business meetings. Asean countries account for 300 buyers and 600 exhibitors, while GCC participation is described as “significant,” with Qatar among the key contributors.

As many as seven companies from Qatar will participate in the upcoming Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2025, scheduled from September 17 to 20 at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur.The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) office in Qatar disclosed to Gulf Times that the participating companies from Doha are Lari Group, Qatar National Import & Export (QNIE), Al Majid Jawad Distribution & Marketing, Magic Touch, Tanit Group, IBRIDGE Trading, and Morex Group.Following previous business meetings between Malaysian companies under MATRADE and their Qatari counterparts under the Qatar Chamber, “MATRADE has observed that all Qatari companies feel comfortable and secure when engaging with Malaysian companies certified as halal” by the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) or the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia.MATRADE also informed this paper that it is targeting Qatar “as one of the top prominent markets” in the region to increase awareness about JAKIM’s “vital role in promoting the importance of halal products in daily healthy life.”“MATRADE is also expanding a wide range of business opportunities to halal-concerned Malaysian corporations and organisations, especially to a highly respected entity like Qatar Chamber,” it stated.According to MATRADE, JAKIM, which is “recognised by the Food Safety Department” under the Ministry of Public Health, “stands as one of the world’s most influential and respected authorities in Islamic affairs, particularly in the domain of halal certification and standardisation.“Established under the Prime Minister’s Department, JAKIM plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the integrity of Islamic principles in Malaysia while shaping the global halal landscape with its internationally recognised standards.”Last week, MATRADE Qatar hosted a webinar titled ‘The Importance of Halal Products in our Lives’. The session aimed to provide Malaysian companies with insights into the Qatari market – recognised as a key target for halal products – highlighting the growing awareness and positive reception of halal-certified goods among the Qatari population.The webinar was organised by Rami el-Sayegh, senior marketing manager at MATRADE Qatar, and moderated by Shafiq Nasarudin, assistant trade commissioner at MATRADE Dubai. During the webinar, Jaffar Waqqas, category supervisor at QNIE, outlined the requirements and procedures for exporting food products to the Qatari market and emphasised the importance of halal certifications within the Qatari community.“The 21st edition of MIHAS will be a four-day trade showcase held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, alongside the MIHAS Virtual platform,” according to its website, which added that the event “is poised to attract one of the highest participations ever.”During a briefing session with foreign missions and industry players held last month in Kuala Lumpur, MATRADE emphasised that “MIHAS 2025 is gaining remarkable traction, with projections pointing to more than 2,300 booths from 45 countries, an impressive leap beyond the 2,028 booths featured in the last edition.”MIHAS 2025, under the theme ‘Pinnacle of Halal Excellence’, will highlight innovation, sustainability, and digitalisation as key drivers of growth.”“Its enhanced Knowledge Hub will advance knowledge exchange, halal investment, and policy alignment, whereas their targeted International Sourcing Programme (INSP) will empower Malaysian exporters with access to curated international buyers, powered by the MADANI Digital Trade (MDT) Platform for real-time matching and analytics, ensuring greater efficiency and resilience in business matching,” MATRADE added.Ends