12
Cover Story
@Halal | July-august. 2020
Making his mark
in property and halal
Datuk Mahmud Abbas, who was
appointed HDC Chairman on July
30, 2019, is no stranger to the halal
industry.
He developed the Selangor
Halal Hub and initiated the development
of Selangor Bio Bay. He also started
Halal International Selangor.
He was awarded the Chief Executive of the
Year in 2017 by Selangor Excellence Business
Award for his contribution in turning around
Central Spectrum Sdn Bhd. Earlier in 2015,
he was recognised by OIC World Today and
was awarded the Jewel of the Muslim World
Award for his contribution to the halal industry
and the economic growth of the Ummah.
He has over 30 years of corporate experience,
particularly in the property industry.
Before becoming the Chairman of HDC,
he was the Chief Executive of Knowledge
Economic City (KEC), a Public Listed Property
Development Company in Madinah,
Saudi Arabia. As Managing Director of Central
Spectrum for seven years, he was responsible
for the development of Pulau Indah in
Selangor.
Mahmud, 62, who keeps himself fit by
cycling, spoke to @Halal on the 12th World
Halal Conference (WHC) and the prospects
for the halal industry.
The WHC has become an established part
of the halal calendar in Malaysia. What
is the significance of this year’s theme:
Halal Community Driving the New World
Economy?
The WHC 2020 this year will set the direction
of the halal industry. By having this, it will
send a powerful message to the consumers
on why halal is essential. We know what
halal stands for from the Islamic point. But
there is another aspect of halal, which is the
toyyiban side. Halal itself is very strict. When
halal is combined with toyyiban, it is a perfect
source to the world. Toyyiban itself means
cleanliness.
If you look at the Japanese manufacturers,
they are by all means toyyiban. It’s clean. You
can sleep on their factory’s floor, and a lot of
their products are also halal. It’s just that they
are not certified halal. It is where Malaysia
plays a role in bringing up the standards of
manufacturing.
The message that the conference is sending
out is that halal is very good. It will allow
other countries to upgrade their manufacturing
standards.
How will this year’s conference differ from
that of previous years?
Covid-19 has brought about a new normal
in the way things are being done. It has fasttracked
the move towards digitalisation, and
with the travel restrictions imposed globally,
participation from global participants will
be virtual.
This year’s organisation is going to be a
hybrid where the conference will be held
virtually with thought leaders coming in. The
only difference is that we cannot meet one
another because of the Covid-19. But I think
the crux of the matter is that you still have
the exchange of ideas on halal. It will all be
there except that it will all be in the e-system.
I think the prospects for
Malaysia’s halal industry is
fantastic. We are exporting
about RM40 billion of goods
to the world. The potential
to increase is there. How would you do
it? How does a manufacturer enter into
the halal market? That is why we have
got a lot of Japanese because Japanese
companies have come to the stage where
they have saturated the market. ”
We are optimistic about the participation
at WHC2020. To date, we have received
excellent feedback from our various
stakeholders involving the government,
industry leaders, halal industry
players, media, academicians, and
researchers as well as business and
trades associates on this forthcoming
conference.
With a focus topic on the
conference that will cover on the
post-Covid-19 scenario such as on
empowering the community to drive
the economy in the recovery period,
it will be very relevant to the current
market shift. The topics discussed will
see on the sharing of ideas on what works
for the plan to move forward in recovery
mode.
WHC has been
there for 12 years.
People expect it
to be there. And
because of
that, I see the enthusiasm from the government’s
side and various industry players.
What are the prospects for Malaysia’s halal
industry?
I think the prospects for Malaysia’s halal
industry is fantastic. We are exporting about
RM40 billion worth of goods to the world. The
potential to increase is there. How would you
do it? How does a manufacturer enter into the
halal market? That is why we have got a lot of
Japanese because Japanese companies have
come to the stage where they have saturated
the market. Therefore, they have got to find
new markets. They have been coming to
Malaysia to study us.
How important is the role of HDC having
partnerships with parties such as MIDA
and Duopharma Biotech in hosting WHC?
WHC is a yearly thought leadership event
where the speakers will share their thoughts
on the global halal industry, depending on the
theme. MIDA is the government’s principal
agency to promote the manufacturing and
services sectors in Malaysia. This agency
also provides information on the investment
opportunities, assisting companies which
intend to invest in these sectors, facilitating
those looking for joint venture partners as
well as opening pathways to new frontiers
around the globe.
As for Duopharma Biotech, the pharmaceutical
is an emerging market in the halal
industry. Hosting WHC2020 with Duopharma
will allow our participants to gain insights
into this new halal market, readiness and
awareness towards global acceptance, the
process of strengthening the halal pharma
ecosystem and the halal innovating solutions
adopted for the healthcare sector.
The halal pharmaceutical industry was
valued globally at US$83 billion in 2016. It is
expected to grow to US$134 billion in 2024.
And with the advent of the
world’s first Halal Pharmaceutical
Standard,
MS2424:2012
Halal Pharmaceuticals,
halal pharmaceutical
products
are now the
new frontier
for the
global halal
market, not
just exclusive
to the Muslim
community.
Given the pandemic, what is the expected
response from government representatives
and the business community to this
year’s conference?