Malaysia will present halal products to the global audience at the upcoming Malaysia International Halal Showcase, or MIHAS, set to kick off Thursday.

“We truly believe that small and medium sized Malaysian brands have the potential to become Halal champions. Through MIHAS we hope to facilitate the sourcing and selling of quality halal consumables, products and services globally,” said Dr. Halim Mohammad, the chairman of Malaysia External Trade Development Corp. during an online meeting with the press Monday evening.

“Halal” is an Arabic word that means lawful in English and pertains to what Muslims are allowed do to in their lives. The term is most commonly associated with Islamic dietary laws, especially specific ways to prepare meat.

This year’s MIHAS, the world’s largest halal show, will focus on showcasing 12 key pillars in the halal economy under the theme of “Empowering Halal, Tomorrow, Together,” the Malaysian trade promotion agency said.

Various sectors of the halal ecosystem will be introduced, including education, pharmaceutical products, services, franchises, modest fashion, Islamic finance and cosmetics, among others.

A total of 549 small and midsize enterprises from 40 countries will participate. The show will run until Dec. 31. Due to the pandemic, the event will be held online entirely.

Halal businesses and buyers can connect across time zones through “AI assisted business matching sessions” and communicate real-time through the event’s live chat function.

From Sept. 10-12, prominent figures in the Malaysian halal landscape will take to the stage and share their knowledge on various topics ranging from Islamic financing, sustainability of Halal businesses and the role of women entrepreneurs in the Halal economy.

“Halal is not just about Islamic ethics. Halal economy embraces elements of cleanliness, inclusiveness and safety. Halal products can be catered to non-Muslims as well, and we hope to use this platform to further explore the South Korean market,” said Mohd Mustafa, CEO of the promotion agency.

In 2020, Muslims accounted for 24.9 percent of the world population in 2020. The market for Halal products and services is estimated at 4,348 trillion won ($3.76 billion), according to the Korea Halal Authority Corp.

Registrations are available on the event’s official website. 

(kang.jaeeun@heraldcorp.com)