September-October. 2025 | @ Halal

• Department of Standards Malaysia( DSM) introduced new halal standards in 2025 and is reviewing key existing ones to ensure relevance.

• Malaysia leads global halal harmonisation through SMIIC, shaping international benchmarks.

• Malaysia will host the 14th SMIIC Technical Committee Week in 2025, strengthening its role as a halal hub.

HALAL STANDARDS: Participants of the SMIIC-OIC Global Halal Quality Infrastructure Awareness and Foundation Training, held from 6-9 May 2024 in Putrajaya and Sepang, Malaysia, gathered to enhance expertise in halal standardisation, accreditation, and conformity assessment.

At the centre of this effort is the Department of Standards Malaysia( DSM) under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry( MITI), tasked with ensuring robust, credible, and internationally aligned halal standards.

DSM Senior Director of Standardisation Hussalmizzar Hussain highlighted Malaysia’ s progress in halal standards, its role in international platforms, and the future of halal assurance in an era of digitalisation and evolving consumer demands.

In 2025, DSM introduced new Malaysian Standards addressing food integrity, cosmetics, and Shariah compliance. These include MS 2803 on the usage of animal by-products, MS 2809 on authentication techniques, MS 2810 on pig skin identification, MS 2627-2 on the detection of porcine DNA in cosmetics, and MS 1900 on Shariahbased quality management.

Key standards, such as MS 1500 on halal food, MS 2424 on pharmaceuticals, MS 2634 on cosmetics, and the MS 2400 series on supply chain management, are also being reviewed to ensure their relevance. These standards act as more than regulatory tools as they safeguard consumer trust and support industry growth.

This platform allows Malaysia to directly influence the future of halal standardisation while enabling our local experts to engage meaningfully in global discussions

- Hussalmizzar Hussain

GLOBAL ALIGNMENT AND COOPERATION

Through DSM’ s active role in the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries( SMIIC), Malaysian Standards have shaped global benchmarks. MS 1500 inspired OIC / SMIIC 1 on halal food, while the MS 2400 series, MS 2634, and MS 1900 influenced halal supply chain, cosmetics, and quality management standards.

This harmonisation reduces trade barriers and enhances mutual recognition of halal certification worldwide.

Malaysia participates in nine SMIIC technical committees and leads projects on halal aviation catering, halal tourism classification for wellness spas, halal medical tourism standards, halal supply chain requirements for ports, and halal pharmaceutical standards for vaccines and biopharmaceuticals.

This proactive role enables Malaysian expertise and Shariah insights to inform global standards, thereby strengthening both national interests and international trust. Halal trade faces differing regulations across countries. DSM addresses this through international engagement to promote harmonisation, national alignment to integrate international standards with Malaysian frameworks, and capacity building to support member states through training and cooperation.

Involvement in the OIC Halal Quality Infrastructure( OHAQ) and the Islamic Forum for Halal Accreditation Bodies( IFHAB) further strengthens recognition of halal certificates.

Malaysia will also host the 14th SMIIC Technical Committee Week in 2025, marking the first time it will be held outside Türkiye, alongside the Global Halal Summit( GHaS). Covering 17 committees, the event positions Malaysia as a global hub for halal standardisation and boosts opportunities for trade, investment, and knowledge-sharing.

Consumers now demand not only halal compliance but also safety, sustainability, and transparency. DSM is developing standards for emerging areas, including halal pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and cultured meat, while also exploring digital technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence for halal traceability.

DSM envisions Malaysia as the world’ s halal hub by integrating Shariah compliance with quality, sustainability, and innovation, aligned with the Madani economy.

By fostering international cooperation and advancing standards, Malaysia continues to shape the halal concept as a trusted global framework that is embraced by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

“ Malaysia’ s vision is to evolve halal standards into a globally respected framework that ensures not only religious compliance but also quality, sustainability, and innovation,” Hussalmizzar concluded.-