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november-december. 2019 | @glam.Halal
Marching towards
MIHAS 2020
Next year’s Malaysia International Halal Showcase to promote the values
of sustainability among halal-based businesses
T
he world’s largest halal trade
fair, the Malaysia International
Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2020, is
set to host Malaysian and global
Halal-based businesses at its 17th
edition from April 1 to 4 2020. In
this edition, MIHAS will be facilitating the
promotion of sustainability practices among
Halal-based industry players.
An international endeavour
Themed as “Expand Your Halal Horizon”,
MIHAS 2020 will feature more than 1,200
booths of companies from Malaysia and from
ASEAN, North East Asia, Central Asia, Middle
East, Africa and Americas. In addition, the
event is expecting over 35,000 visitors from
90 countries. The congregation is set to be
MIHAS largest yet since its inception in 2004.
Participants of MIHAS will include Halal-
certified and trade-ready companies, buyers,
leading brands, manufacturers, distributors,
and suppliers. Organised by Malaysia External
Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE),
MIHAS 2020 will showcase the strengths
of various sectors in Halal, namely: Food &
Beverages, Food Technology Manufacturing,
Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Logistics, Tour-
ism, Islamic Finance, Digital and Franchise.
According to MATRADE’s Chief Executive
Officer Dato Wan Latiff Wan Musa, 2020 will
be a significant year for Malaysia as it opera-
tionalises various plans to drive Malaysia’s
sustainability agenda.
“Sustainability promotes responsible
businesses and good practices that emphasise
responsibilities towards the environment,
social and governance. This is very much
in line with United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals or the SDGs. Halal and
sustainability when practiced together
will lead to the Halalan Toyyiban lifestyle
and we need to articulate this to the world
Dato Wan Latiff Wan Musa commended the interest of small and medium
entrepreneurs towards the global market through the previous MIHAS. He
looks forward to have more joining in for MIHAS 2020.
MIHAS 2020 is ready for kick-off next April with main sponsors by Fraser &
Neave Holdings Berhad, CIMB Bank Berhad, and GISB Holdings.
through MIHAS.”
He pressed on: “For example, Halal gives
guidelines on the production, processing and
handling of products that ensure the contents
used do not carry any matter that is prohib-
ited by Shariah law, impure, or detrimental
to health.”
The halal concept also warrants the pro-
cesses adopted are safe and do not bring any
hazards to the environment and people.
“At the core of the guidelines, we can see a
strong emphasis on being environmentally
friendly, safeguarding the well-being of the
living (humans and animals), fair trade – a
value that we champion through Free Trade
Agreements, and ethical and just business
practices that Islamic Finance exemplifies.”
According to Dato Wan Latiff, these are
what make Halal and sustainability a perfect
match for businesses to strengthen their
value proposition when selling to the world,
while at the same time protecting the world
and society.
“This will definitely give Malaysian
exporters a long-term strategic advantage.”
Apart from the showcase of Halal prod-
ucts and services at the exhibition, MIHAS
will also feature a highly effective business
matching platform called International
Sourcing Programme (INSP) that has, since
2005 attracted more than 4,300 buyers from
around the world who were matched with
Malaysian companies.
Other than that, MIHAS 2020 will offer
quality networking and learning oppor-
tunities through spacious and improved
experiential zones and industry-renowned
fora as well as talks by experts from various
Halal industries.
Last year’s MIHAS saw the introduction
of the Modest Fashion Cluster – where a
total of 48 companies and associations were
highlighted.
The most recent MIHAS
have attracted a thousand
over international exhibitors,
continuing to strengthen the
halal product and services
demand indicator for the
global market.