Malaysia and Indonesia Spearhead ASEAN Halal Council to Establish Global Halal Hub

Malaysia and Indonesia are joining forces to establish the ASEAN Halal Council, a strategic move aimed at positioning the Southeast Asian bloc as a global leader in the halal industry. This initiative, built on high standards and integrity, seeks to transform ASEAN into a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable global halal hub.

Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Halal Industry Development Council, announced this ambitious plan following a strategic meeting with Haikal Hassan Baras, Head of Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH), on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit.

With the global halal market projected to reach a staggering US$5 trillion (RM21 trillion) by 2030, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi emphasized the critical need for ASEAN to emerge as a frontrunner in developing a complementary and competitive regional halal ecosystem. Both Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to jointly spearhead the formation of the ASEAN Halal Council this year.

“This will serve as a strategic platform to systematically align halal policies, standards, and regulations among ASEAN countries,” said Zahid. He further stressed the strong commitment to elevating halal cooperation, with a focus on strengthening the position of both countries’ halal products in regional and global markets. This collaboration, he added, will also be a testament to the success of Malaysia’s “halal diplomacy” in bolstering the national halal brand globally.

To achieve these goals, Malaysia and Indonesia will intensify joint efforts across various fronts, including halal certification, education, research, and halal workforce development. Malaysia fully supports expert exchange programs, joint training, and collaborative research to strengthen the entire ASEAN halal value chain.

Furthermore, both nations agreed to expand halal trade by easing market access for halal products and enhancing mutual recognition of halal certification. This crucial step is expected to facilitate smoother, industry-friendly halal trade flows, significantly supporting the growth of intra-ASEAN trade and positively impacting the halal market demand within ASEAN, a region home to nearly 700 million people.

Zahid noted that this pivotal meeting was a continuation of his recent official visit to Indonesia, marking the beginning of a deeper collaboration between the two nations in leading the development of the regional halal industry.