July-august. 2020 | @Halal
Local News
09
StanChart Saadiq
partners with HDC
Standard Chartered Saadiq
and Halal Development Corp
Bhd (HDC) inked a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) to
enable local halal businesses to
expand beyond Malaysia.
In a joint statement dated Jul
2, 2020, HDC said the halal industry
continued to show resilience
due to its strong fundamentals
despite the Covid-19 pandemic
and the recent fluctuation in
crude oil prices.
HDC also stated the crisis had
brought on a renewed pattern
towards the demand for halal
products as it is recognised as
a hallmark of hygiene, product
safety and reliability.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of HDC, Hairol Ariffein Sahari,
said the total export value of
Malaysian halal products in 2019
stood at RM40.2 billion, recording
a slight growth from RM40
billion compared with 2018.
He said this was due to higher demand
from the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.
“This demand for halal products is not only
seen in the Muslim-majority countries but
is widespread across China, Japan, the US,
Europe and the rest of the world. The various
financing facilities in the Penjana economic
recovery plan offer proper relief measures
for local businesses to sustain and improve
Country’s first
integrated
POS solution
Cuscapi, Presto and Hungry have entered
a partnership to offer a fully integrated and
digitalised order-to-delivery solution to help
boost the local Food and Beverage (F&B)
industry affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As Malaysians still spend some 31 per
cent of their income on food, the F&B sector
offers great potential and a digital revolution
on F&B operations can help operators to
overcome the challenges and make a quick
business recovery in the new normal.
Three reputable corporations in the country
– Cuscapi, Presto and Hungry – formed a
strategic alliance to develop the 360⁰ fullyintegrated
and digitalised Cloud-powered
F&B management suite.
The suite, named Custory, will help F&B
operators manage their order-to-delivery
cycle, and everything inbetween,
both efficiently and
effectively.
By adopting this new solution,
F&B operators will be
able to bring back customers
to their restaurants. As the
food ordering and payment
solution is fully digital, diners
will regain the confidence of
having less human contact
in the restaurant to enjoy the
pleasures of dining-in.
their product offerings and service
innovation.
“Product consolidation, crossindustry
collaboration and an
increased effort in marketing and
promotion will be the catalysts
of growth for the industry. We
welcome the collaboration with
Standard Chartered Saadiq as the
Islamic Financing bank-of-choice,
as an enabler to increase scale and
global market penetration,” said
Hairol.
The upsurge in global demand
for halal-certified products saw
Malaysia’s halal exporters registering
a growth of 2.7 per cent in 2019.
An equally important matter is the
growing awareness of integrated
Islamic financial services in halal
businesses, HDC said.
Standard Chartered Saadiq CEO
Mohd Suhaimi Abdul Hamid said
its partnership with HDC strengthened
its commitment to provide
end-to-end Shariah compliance
in the operations of halal businesses and
strengthening the ecosystem of the industry.
“Our unparalleled network advantage
spanning across Asia, Africa and the Middle
East provide clients access to new markets. It
also allows us to be a key driver in facilitating
business matching opportunities for local
halal businesses in their global expansion,”
said Suhaimi.
Customers will also be able to make table
reservations, drive-through, take-out or have
their food delivered via this new solution.
The three main components that make up
this new solution are food ordering, cashless
payment and delivery service, each of which
is the specialisation of Cuscapi, Presto and
Hungry, respectively.
The 360⁰ F&B solution, or Custory as it’s
called, is powered by Cuscapi, a pioneering
provider of Point-of-Sales (POS) systems in
Malaysia. Custory allows real-time access
to restaurant data anytime, anywhere and
enables restaurants to create a digital menu
for both dine-in and online orders on a single
platform. It translates as a cost-effective and
comprehensive solution.
By using the solution, restaurants can also
replace order-placing kiosks that contribute
to long queues, which are fast becoming a
more considerable inconvenience to customers
as social distancing is practised.
Customers will be able to use QR Codes
to order their food from the table. Similarly,
their drive-through or take-out experience
is simplified via the online-ordering
solution.
BRIEFS
Halal certification application
procedures to be made easier
The process of applying for halal certificates for the food
industry will be reviewed by the government so that the
procedure can be simplified but still meet the prescribed halal
standards.
FMT reported the Minister for Religious Affairs, Zulkifli
Mohamad Al-Bakri as saying the process of obtaining halal
certification for a food product should not burden the applicant.
“Indeed, the government intends to look into the issue of halal
certification comprehensively to overcome all problems facing
the industry in obtaining halal certificates. We want to make it less
complicated.
“Except that the process needs to be complete and
adequately done per the stipulated terms and standards.
Especially more so in the current situation under the recovery
movement control order and the new normal.
“What is sure is that there is more need to simplify it,” he
mentioned after launching a Virtual Halal School at Menara Arina-
UNITI on Jul 6.
Among the aspects to be magnified were shorter waiting
period and reducing the documentation involved for a halal
certificate.
“At the same time, the public, especially Muslims, should be
cautious about the halal logo displayed on the products purchased
and ensure that the logo is authentic and recognised by the
authorities,” he said.
Restaurant fined for
disregarding halal order
A restaurant owner was fined B$2,000 recently following
the discovery of questionable food items by officers from the
Halal Food Control Division under the Ministry of Religious Affairs
Department of Syariah Affairs.
The Borneo Bulletin reported three two-kilogramme packs
of chicken wings and half a bag of chicken wings weighing
one kilogramme were found during an inspection of Ismahana
Restaurant at Unit 8, Block G, Sufri Complex.
The Magistrate’s Court convicted the restaurant owner on the
violation of requirements and conditions imposed under Section
37 of the Halal Certificate and Halal Label Order, 2005.
“Business establishments issued with a halal certificate
and halal permit must comply with the requirements and
conditions, including Brunei Darussalam’s Standards for Halal
Food PBD24:2007 and the established guidelines,” said The
Department of Syariah Affairs.
“The Department of Syariah Affairs, through the Halal Food
Control Division, will continue to carry out audits and inspections
on establishments issued with a Halal Certificate or Halal Permit,
to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions, while
maintaining Halal food practices in the country,” he added.
MIHAS Malaysia pushed to next year
The 17th Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2020,
which was to take place on Sept 1-4, has been postponed to
2021, announced the Malaysia External Trade Development
Corporation (MATRADE).
Based on feedback received by MATRADE through its 46
overseas offices, most foreign exhibitors, buyers and trade
visitors were not ready to travel and partake in international
exhibitions held abroad.
Given the travel restrictions around the world, a quick survey
among Malaysian exhibitors also validated the concerns raised by
foreign exhibitors about the possible meagre number of visitors
and buyers to visit the show.
“The postponement of the show to 2021 is in the best interest
of our exhibitors and buyers. The immediate environment is very
challenging, and it would affect the effectiveness of the show.
“The dates for next year will be determined later. Deferring it
to 2021 will allow our local and foreign exhibitors to appraise their
strategies and calibrate for the changing environment,” said the
CEO of MATRADE, Wan Latiff Wan Musa.
Over the last 16 years, MIHAS was seen as the world’s leading
halal exhibition where thousands of halal industry players from all
over the world meet annually to showcase their innovative and
latest products and services. It is also the venue to congregate
for academics, practitioners and stakeholders of the halal, Islamic
finance and Syariah-compliant businesses.
“MATRADE’s commitment is to host a remarkable show that
will be the benchmark and sought after by the halal and Islamic
economy fraternities.
“We want to record our gratitude to exhibitors, sponsors,
strategic partners and buyers for their continued support”,
Wan Latiff said.