The exhibition of halal products at the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 7-10 September 2022. Various kinds of halal products from Malaysia and abroad are promoted in the world’s largest halal product exhibition. Not only from Malaysia, halal products from other countries are also displayed, including halal products from Indonesia on a hybrid basis (offline and online event). The MIHAS halal product exhibition is a halal industry business platform that allows visitors and halal product producers to be involved in a forum that provides an opportunity for them to expand the market reach of halal products throughout the world. Not only food and beverages, but 12 other halal product segments were also promoted, including services and enablers or providers of digital solutions, cosmetics and care products, fashion, food technology, pharmaceuticals, recreation and media, e-commerce, Islamic finance, tourism, franchising, education, and Islamic arts and crafts. MIHAS featured more than 1.300 booths, with the top five participating countries including Kuwait, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa, and Palestine. MIHAS 2022 attracts a large number of international participants from more than 30 countries. The International Sourcing Program (INSP) was also held as part of events that bridged more than 1,700 meetings between foreign buyers and Malaysian exporters of halal products. Indonesian distributors also come to look for new halal products, thus enabling them to open up new market segments in Indonesia. Several exhibitors from Indonesia admitted that they were enthusiastic about participating in the exhibition after the last two years when the event was held online. “By being offline, hopefully, this year it can be maximized,” said General Chairperson of the Indonesian Halal Product Manufacturers Association (APPHI) Aman Suparman, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (7/9/2022). In line with Aman, Muslehudin from IKM Sate Rembiga, also expressed his enthusiasm for participating in the MIHAS event for the first time, likewise with Asri from CV Samara Micron Saleronell. Not only for promotion, the Indonesian participants also made the event to introduce Indonesian culture and culinary specialties.

As part of its responsibility to bridge the efforts of Indonesian halal product producers, the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia helped promote halal products from Indonesia at the MIHAS 2022 event, said the Trade Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia, Deden Muhammad Fajar Siddiq, on the first day of the exhibition opening. He said the reason for the Indonesian embassy to participate in MIHAS 2022 was to promote Indonesian products that meet halal requirements so that exporters can reach more international markets. The items displayed in the exhibition was including food and beverages and many other goods and services such as clothing, cosmetics, sandals, socks, sarongs, tuna fish, chips, kitchen spices, satay, Taliwang chicken, palm sugar, and other products that are incorporated in halal food, halal fashion, halal cosmetics and pharmacy, halal tourism, and halal in the service sector. The products displayed in the Indonesian pavilion have been curated and selected to be marketed either in Malaysia or in other countries, so Deden believes that Indonesian products have a quality that is not less competitive than other countries. "So the target of the exhibition is of course to build a network. Second, the follow-up to the output is that there are trade transactions," he said. In addition to the Malaysian market, Indonesian products are expected to have a wider and growing market in other Muslim countries such as the Middle East, Central Asia, former Soviet Union countries which are predominantly Muslim and also other countries that pay attention to halal products and services. Meanwhile, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Malaysia Harmono emphasized the importance to promote halal products from MSMEs to the international market so that their products can be increasingly recognized globally. He assessed the MIHAS event as an opportunity that Indonesian exhibitors need to take advantage of because the exhibition of halal products is the largest. The opportunity to obtain new markets is wide open because the exhibition was held on a hybrid basis after the previous year it was only held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is a meeting place for halal product players from all over the world, not only Southeast Asia. So people who take part in the exhibition here have the opportunity to expand their market,” he said. Harmono also encourages the Ministry of Trade to further facilitate halal certification so that Indonesian halal certificates can be more recognized in many countries. Many efforts have been made by the government through related parties to promote Indonesian halal products. Hopefully, Indonesian halal product producers can further expand their markets abroad and Indonesian halal products are increasingly globalized to all corners of the world.

Source: https://voi.id/berita/208801/menilik-upaya-pemerintah-globalkan-produk-halal-indonesia