Deputy Minister of Reigious Affairs Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi assessed that the free financing policy for the halal certification process for micro and small business products (UMK) is very relevant. "In the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic, the free financing policy for halal certification for MSEs is very relevant," said the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs in the webinar on Halal Certification and its Extension during the Pandemic Period on Wednesday (1/9/2021) held by Indonesia Halal Watch (IHW). According to him, the rise of UMK which is an important pillar of the national economy is expected to encourage the Indonesian National Economic Recovery program. In addition to free financing, said the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, the current halal certification regulation also provides other facilities in the form of an option for MSEs to carry out halal certification through a business actor statement or self-declare.
Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi assessed that the free financing policy for the halal certification process for micro and small business products (UMK) is very relevant. "In the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic, the free financing policy for halal certification for MSEs is very relevant," said the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs in the webinar on Halal Certification and its Extension during the Pandemic Period on Wednesday (1/9/2021) held by Indonesia Halal Watch (IHW). According to him, the rise of UMK which is an important pillar of the national economy is expected to encourage the Indonesian National Economic Recovery program. In addition to free financing, said the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, the current halal certification regulation also provides other facilities in the form of an option for MSEs to carry out halal certification through a business actor statement or self-declare.
Halal certification is now one of the mandatory requirements for products to be accepted in export destination countries, especially countries with Muslim majority populations. "OIC member countries are strategic potentials for national halal products," he said. Based on OIC Economic Outlook 2020 data, continued the Deputy Minister, among OIC member countries, Indonesia is still the fifth largest exporter of Muslim products with a proportion of 9.3 percent. He considered, with various potentials and halal capital owned, Indonesia should be optimistic to be ranked first. Moreover, the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) together with the Ministry of Trade and Customs are also coordinating the improvement of the national halal product codification. "BPJPH also continue to accelerate the preparation of infrastructure to support the realization of Indonesia as a center for producing world halal products in 2024, as proclaimed by the Vice President as the Daily Chair of KNEKS in October 2020," he explained. The Deputy Minister of Religion encourages BPJPH to be able to synergize Indonesia's potential to support the development of the halal industry good national global orientation. Furthermore, international cooperation as an important route for receiving halal certificates and strengthening Indonesia's position as a global center for halal products must also be a concern. "International cooperation please be carried out with various countries. I only advise that this cooperation is dedicated to strengthening our country's halal products," he said.
