By Opalyn Mok, The Sun

June 30, 2010

Penang attracts more than RM200million in foreign and local investments

GEORGE TOWN: The state halal agency’s participation in international forums has earned Penang a reputation as a halal hub of international standard, and has so far attracted more than RM200million in investments.

Halal Penang has been promoting the state as an international halal hub by participating in the World Halal Forum and the Malaysia International Halal Showcase.

The agency also participated in Thaifex-World Food Asia 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand, Medan Fair in Indonesia early this year and the Penang Trade and Tourism Showcase in Singapore late last year.

Penang International Halal Hub task force chairman Abdul Malik Kassim said so far, four companies have shown a keen interest in investing in the state and setting up plants at the Penang Halal Industrial Park.

“A Chinese marine biotechnology company will be investing RM50million with plans to set up a plant,” he said.

Two other companies from Australia and India, and a Malaysian company partnering with an Iranian company in a gelatin project, are in discussion with Halal Penang,” he said yesterday.

Abdul Malik said at the recent World Halal Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Halal Penang signed a memorandum of understanding with Investmy International Ltd from Yemen and another with International Halal Integrity Alliance.

“The MoU with Investmy is a strategic collaboration with Halal Penang to provide expertise and technical consultation to the company in setting up a halal industrial park in Yemen,” he said.

Meanwhile, the MoU with IHI Alliance will see cooperation in providing training for halal auditors.

Abdul Malik said Halal Penang also signed an MoU with Supreme Manufacturing and Services Co. Ltd at the Malaysia International Halal Showcase held last week to provide consultancy services for the development of a halal industry in India,” he said.

Halal Penang has close working relationships with two halal research centres at Chulalongkorn University and Prince of Songkla University in Thailand.

“We are also discussing with a company in Wales on a partnership to develop a halal industrial park there,” he said.