HDC awaits Tamadam proposal on halal park logistics

HALAL Industry Development Corp Sdn Bhd (HDC) is waiting for Tamadam Bonded Warehouse Bhd's proposal on logistics infrastructure framework for halal parks in the country.

Chief executive officer Datuk Jamil Bidin said once HDC receives the proposal, it will conduct a study to see if the framework adheres to its guidelines on halal parks.


Jamil: If the proposed framework is feasible, we will recommend it to the companies operating in the halal parks

"The study will not take long. We can even complete it within one week. If the proposed framework is feasible, we will recommend it to the companies operating in the halal parks," he said after the launch of HDC briefing on halal certification by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Second-board Tamadam is expected to reveal the framework on logistics infrastructure for halal parks at its annual general meeting today. The proposed logistics framework is likely to bring in multi-million ringgit income to the company.

Tamadam's comprehensive halal logistics components, supply and distribution framework for the halal parks will include warehouses, distribution centres, commercial properties and IT system.

Currently, there are four halal parks designated by the government at Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) in Selangor, Gambang in Pahang, Padang Besar in Perlis and Tanjung Manis in Sarawak.

Jamil said HDC can only recommend Tamadam's logistics framework for companies operating in halal parks, but it is up to the respective companies to adopt Tamadam's services.

He said the PKFZ halal park, whose infrastructure and building have been completed, has started to attract interest from a few companies.

The park in Sarawak has received more than RM1.3 billion investment from over 20 companies, mostly foreign-owned, while the one in Pahang has an anchor Bumiputera company, Prima Agri Products Sdn Bhd.

The halal park in Perlis, which is designed to utilise raw materials from Southern Thailand and expertise from Malaysia, is still in the conceptual stage.

Meanwhile, Jamil said since HDC took over the authority for halal certification from Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) in April this year, it has received over 380 applications from local companies and more than 40 applications from overseas-based companies.

From the total, HDC has approved 80 local applications and one overseas application.

"About 85 per cent of these applications were submitted online, through e-halal that was developed by Jakim," he said.

By New Straits Times (by Hamisah Hamid)