Malaysia's MATRADE Propelling Digitally Enabled Halal Trade at MIHAS 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Digitally enabled trade is the way forward and key in rebuilding Malaysia’s economic resilience, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) said. Hence, the national trade promotion agency is aiming to facilitate high-value, cross-border halal trade digitally at the upcoming Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) scheduled from Sept 9 until Dec 31, 2021. The event themed “Empowering Halal, Tomorrow, Together” will focus on showcasing 12 key pillars, including education, pharmaceuticals, services and enablers, franchise, modest fashion, Islamic finance, cosmetics and personal care, media and recreation, Muslim friendly travel, e-commerce and food technology. Chief executive officer Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz said that due to the current pandemic situation, MIHAS will spearhead the digitalisation agenda for the halal industry in bringing patrons, investors and trade partners under one virtual platform. “We look forward to fortifying Malaysia’s position as the global halal hub with another successful showcase this year amid the challenging environment,” he said in a statement Friday. MIHAS 2021 has kicked off with its weekly preview sessions every Wednesday from Aug 11 to Sept 1, 2021, to provide audiences with brief insights into the relevancy of halal to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), exports, technology adoption and sustainability. Building on the momentum, MIHAS 2021 virtual Knowledge Hub will continue from Sept 10 to 12, beginning with sessions for Malaysian exporters to get up-close with MATRADE trade commissioners from markets such as South Asia, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), West Africa, Central Asia and Europe for the opportunity to explore potential halal export opportunities. MIHAS has also neutralised disruptions from the pandemic by enabling exhibitors, visitors and participants with the freedom to network with artificial intelligence (AI) assisted business matching sessions, connect across time zones with 24 hours a day live chats, view showcases of products and services, and participate in webinars at their home countries. The showcase has attracted industry giants, including MIHAS Diamond sponsor CIMB Islamic Malaysia, and collaborative partner Standard Chartered Saadiq, which will be leading conversations about enabling the Islamic economy and sustainable supply chains respectively. Since its inception in 2004, MIHAS has progressively been profiled as the marquee halal sourcing platform, with over 1,000 exhibitors from 44 countries participating in the last edition in 2019. -- BERNAMA