The Halal Journal - May/Jun 2009 by The Halal Journal

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| kasehdia.com | www.halaljournal.com | MAY+JUNE 2009

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM What is Halal to eat and what is not?

LATEST TREN TRENDSS & FIGURES USD640 Of a US 640 billion Halal iindustry d try HALAL TOURISM IN DDUBAI BAI IISLAMIC LAMIC FINANCE Answer to ﬁnanci nanciall cris crisis??

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32} THE ANIMAL KINGDOM What is

Halal to eat and what is not?

contents 24} THE 6TH INTERNATIONAL HALAL SHOWCASE (MIHAS) Malaysia opens doors again to Halal trade 36} LATEST TRENDS & FIGURES Of a USD640 billion Halal industry

DISCLAIMER : While all care is taken, the publisher accepts no responsibility for the information contained herein which is believed to be reliable. The publisher/editor takes no responsibility for opinions expressed or implied as they are the writers’ own and do not necessarily reflect that of the publisher or editor who make no warranties governing material, including advertising or features contained within this publication. This publication may not in whole or part, be copied, reproduced or translated without prior written permission of the publisher.

40} HALAL MEAT IMPORTS All there is to know about GCC meat imports 44} GETTING LOST IN GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS? The ABC of branding and creating name-identities 46} FASTRACK EUROPE Cruelty-free cosmetics 47} FASTRACK EUROPE British “peace ambassador” to visit turbulent Pakistan 50} FASTRACK EUROPE Muslims and Halal in Serbia 54} FASTRACK ASIA Hot-Can: New self-heating Halal beverage can 56} FASTRACK ASIA Halal certified: MISC Integrated Logistics storage and warehousing facilities 56} FASTRACK ASIA CCM’s new pharmaceuticals R&D centre 58} FASTRACK AMERICAS Obama: The 100-day mark 60} FASTRACK MIDDLE EAST Al Jawhara: Promoting Islamic hospitality and Halal tourism 62} FASTRACK MIDDLE EAST Al Islami stands firm despite global economy crisis 66} ISLAMIC FINANCE Islamic Finance fundamentals in the wake of global financial crisis

Ed’s Note

The society, on the whole, is concerned about Halal certification as it is beneficial to them in terms of quality and safety standards, respect for animal welfare, environmentallyfriendly, and socially responsible. Frederick Ng, Executive Director of Totalife Malaysia and Singapore

Regulars 08} GLOBAL NEWS A brief insight into events currently shaping the Halal industry around the globe + Calendar of Events + Online Polls 64} COUNTRY IN FOCUS Uruguay: The land of enterprise

Living 73} FEATURE COVER Islamic art and designs in architecture 78} JOURNEY Phnom Penh revealed 80} BROWSING China Treasures, KL in Restaurant Review; Khalid Belrhouzi in Music; and Proper Islamic Consumption and Wanted: Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family in Books 84} ON DISPLAY Halal and good stuﬀ found on the shelf 86} SNAPSHOTS Images of recent happenings in the industry 88} PARTING WORDS Frederick Ng, Executive Director of Totalife Malaysia and Singapore

It’s the time of the year again where the global Halal industry players descend to Kuala Lumpur for the two biggest world events in the sector – The World Halal Forum and Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS). Reaching its fourth year, the World Halal Forum 2009 for the first time will feature OIC-back programmes on global standards and systems to be discussed amongst the international delegates from the public and private sectors. On top of this, the WHF will highlight all the current issues affecting the industry, and key projects to be rolled out by the private and government sectors. As customary, the WHF deliberations and outcomes will send key signals to the market and will inadvertently influence the direction of this growing sector. The forum will be held on 4 and 5 May followed by the 6th MIHAS, the pioneer of Halal exhibitions worldwide. Another addition to this ‘Halal Week’ in Malaysia is the World Halal Research Summit 2009 on 6 and 7 May that will galvanise the academic and scientific communities to assist in developing the Halal sector. While the industry meet, talk and trade this month, The Halal Journal opted to get down to basics for our cover story. What is Halal to eat, and what is not? To answer this, we’ve featured the rulings of the four major schools of Islamic thought – Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali, in our cover story (p34). As a nod to ‘Halal Week’ this month, we’re also bringing you the latest statistics and figures of the Halal market amidst the global financial and economic crisis (p36). Happy reading!

the Halal Journal team

EDITORIAL EDITOR

Hajjah Jumaatun Azmi ju@kasehdia.com

KASEHDIA HALAL GUIDE SERIES Top 3 ‘Best Guide in the World’ for 2004 Gourmand Awards

SENIOR WRITER

Ruzanna Muhammad ruzanna@kasehdia.com

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Zaahira Muhammad zaahira@kasehdia.com

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Diana Abdul Molok diana@kasehdia.com

“The world’s first series of Halal food restaurant guides.” -Asian Wall Street Journal

Puya B.E. puya@kasehdia.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Irfan Sungkar Naseem Javed Dr. Mohamad Akram Laldin Jaspal Singh

GRAPHICS & DESIGN Hang Kai Lan

SALES, MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION Francisca Turner francisca@kasehdia.com

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HALALfood KUALA LUMPUR 2009/10 A G U I D E TO G O O D E AT I N G

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Over 100 reviews of restaurants, cafes, food courts, bakeries and confectioners Descriptive photographs Index and icons to find the exact place you want Maps for reference

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GlobalNEWS

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Several processed meats analysed by the institute were found to contain fats and gelatines with “suspicious origins”, including substances from pigs, which are prohibited for consumption by Muslims.

Suppliers as partners in business

KUWAIT

QUESTIONABLE HALAL MEAT IN KUWAITI MARKETS

Kuwaiti markets are saturated with imported meat with forged certificates wrongly identifying the food as Halal, or permissible for consumption by Islamic law, a Kuwaiti researcher said. Dr Hani al-Mazeedi, a technological researcher at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, said there was an overabundance of official bodies trying to supervise the implementation of Halal regulations; and as a result they were all questioning the others’ validity, according to the Kuwait Times. Several processed meats analysed by the institute were found to contain fats and gelatines with “suspicious origins”, including substances from pigs, which are prohibited for consumption by Muslims. The swell in demand for Halal products has given rise to fraud, where companies and exporters are labelling foods as Halal, when, in fact, this is not the case. The problem is causing Muslims worldwide to rethink the Halal certification process and minimise instances in which Muslim beliefs are being exploited for the sake of making profit. |SOURCE: GULF TIMES, 10 FEBRUARY 2009

MALAYSIA

TANJUNG MANIS SET TO BE MALAYSIA’S LARGEST HALAL HUB

In the early 1990’s, the mere mention of Tanjung Manis would make people link the town with Sarawak’s lumber industry. However, 18 February marked the transition of Tanjung Manis into an industrial hub. Among the industries set to flourish here are deep-sea fishing, palm oil, gas and petroleum as well as shipping. At the launch of the Tanjung Manis Halal Hub on 18 February, Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, witnessed the signing of agreement between 11 companies, including six from Taiwan, and Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) worth close to RM4 billion. The Halal hub is expected to diversify the existing economic activities at Tanjung Manis with the launch. | SOURCE: BERNAMA, 5 MARCH 2009 UNITED KINGDOM

CROYDON SUBWAY GOES HALAL

Due to customer demand, a subway store in Thornton Heath will be completely Halal from Monday, 16 February. The popular sandwich chain will serve a range of certified Halal meats which are prepared in accordance with Halal guidelines. Rachel Shaw, who holds the franchise for the fast food outlet, said, “I am really pleased to have converted the Thornton Heath Subway outlet into Halal. It now offers customers Halal Subs that are fresh, made-to-order and just the way they like them. I decided to convert due to popular demand from our customers. Subway aims to be at the heart of the community, and we are happy to offer subs that everyone can enjoy. It was our objective to ensure the taste of the Halal products matches the taste of the Subway stores’ gold standard meats.” | SOURCE: YOURLOCALGUARDIAN.CO.UK, 14 FEBRUARY 2009

THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

As company and brand owners look to expand their market share, there is one key stakeholder that most companies overlook: suppliers. It is in their best interest to be an active partner in developing downstream businesses. Communicating with suppliers may contribute to cost savings; it may be as simple as requesting certain delivery times or any other requirement. In the current economic environment, it is the perfect time to negotiate an improved working relationship, where previously it was a seller’s market with a real scramble for goods and services. Many food manufacturers have benefited from falling commodities prices and will, in fact, register improved profit in 2009; as commodity prices have fallen faster than consumer prices, especially considering the inelastic nature of Halal food, this will become more apparent in time. One area is cost reduction; another area is to take advantage of falling prices to actually improve inputs. What was not possible just a few months ago may now be viable. Suppliers in the higher end of the market may be hit even harder. Regardless improved input leads to improved output, it has been proven that quality products have a better chance of surviving economic down turns because there will always be a certain segment of the market willing to pay for quality, healthy and Halal products.

GlobalNEWS UNITED KINGDOM

FARMERS AIM FOR HALAL MEAT MARKET

West Midlands farmers hope to tap into the £2.8 billion UK Halal meat market with a scheme that will check whether animals are slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law. The project, which follows a two-year trial, will ensure livestock are slaughtered with a single cut to the throat in a Halal abattoir. About two thirds of Halal meat in the UK is currently imported. Farmers also hope to gain a share of the global Halal market which is worth an estimated £75 billion. | SOURCE: GULF TIMES NEWS.BBC.CO.UK, 23 FEBRUARY 2009 DENMARK

CONCERNS OVER HALAL ACCREDITATION OF POULTRY

New spot checks by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration refute the rumours of pig proteins in chickens that arose after a programme on Danish TV2. A television programme called ‘Operation X’, shown on Danish TV2 on 5 February, focused on whether pig protein had been added to marinated chicken products. This resulted in rumours in an Arabic newspaper saying that Danish-produced chicken meat contained pig proteins. The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries has visited Denmark’s poultry plants to control and inspect whether – against expectations – the rumours were true. The control was partly in the form of physical inspections of the businesses’ warehouses, partly an inspection of the actual products. Pig protein was not found in any of the inspected samples and no pig protein was found during the physical inspection of the businesses’ warehouses. The conclusion of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is therefore that pig-based ingredients are not used in Danish-made chicken products. | SOURCE: FARMINGUK.COM, 3 MARCH 2009

HDC has succeeded in improving the Halal certification process, cutting down the waiting period to 30 days from six to eight months previously. MALAYSIA

SEVERAL COUNTRIES KEEN ON HALAL CERTIFICATION VIA HDC

Malaysia has attracted the interest of several countries (Turkey, China and the Chechen Republic) for its consultancy services on Halal certification through the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC). Various discussions have been held with the countries interested, beginning with the Ningxia government in China, said the government’s initiatives and achievements report (November 2003-March 2009) released by the Prime Minister’s Department in March. HDC has succeeded in improving the Halal certification process, cutting down the waiting period to 30 days from six to eight months previously. Since 2 April 2008, the Halal certification approval panel has held six meetings and approved a total of 517 applications. For international certifications, a total of 11 applications have been approved, including from Thailand, Australia and China, the report said. It added that a one-stop centre has been set up to facilitate investors in getting information on Malaysia’s Halal and related services. | SOURCE: BERNAMA, 31 MARCH 2009

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10 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

MALAYSIA

MMVITAOILS BAGS DEALS AT GULFOOD 2009

MMVitaoils Sdn Bhd has secured deals to ship more than 50 containers of palm oil-based products to various Middle East countries at the recently concluded Gulfood 2009 Food and Beverage Exhibition in Dubai. The company’s representative at the show, Mohamad Faizal Aris, described it as an encouraging development considering the current economic downturn sweeping the globe. Mohamad Faizal said following Gulfood 2008, MMVitaoils had been sending 20 containers of products valued at around RM1 million monthly to Dubai and other markets in this region. Mohamad Faizal described Gulfood as the best platform for the company to expand its presence in the Middle East and beyond. “We have received orders not only from Middle Eastern countries but also Africa and parts of Europe,” he said. MMVitaoils, he added, currently deals directly with its customers and may appoint a distributor to enhance its presence in the region. He also said that more deals were expected to firm up in the wake of Gulfood 2009. | SOURCE: BTIMES.COM.MY, 28 FEBRUARY 2009

INDIA

NEW BUILDING FOR SLAUGHTER HOUSE

Municipal Corporation has planned to purchase three refrigerated meat vans to transport slaughtered animals from the slaughterhouse to different shops located at various locations in the city in their 11th Five Year Plan. One refrigerator will be purchased in the coming fiscal year, and the remainder will be purchased later. Confirming the development, a senior official of Municipal Corporation said the corporation presently has only one refrigerated meat van which is not sufficient at all. “After purchasing the three refrigerators, it would be easy for us to supply stamped meat at various shops of the city on time,” he added. It is planning to construct a new building for Halal slaughter. According to an official, the present building needs to be demolished and a new building constructed on one side of the complex with few additions like guttery room and skin room to improve hygiene and sanitation. | SOURCE: TIMESOFINDIA.INDIATIMES.COM, 5 MARCH 2009

GlobalNEWS “Halal products have now transcended religious and racial barriers. It is no longer related to Halal labelling but as a label accepted as quality, sanctity, clean and safe (for consumption),” Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department

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MALAYSIA

PENANG IN THIRD SPOT IN HALAL CERTIFICATE ISSUANCE

Penang is in third spot after Selangor and Johor in the issuance of Halal certificates for products manufactured in compliance with Islamic ethics, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said. He also said that the achievement enables the state government’s plan to be realised within a short period to establish Penang to be among the biggest Halal food producer. “The other factor is the availability of good infrastructures besides the vast Halal industry area covering 52.4 hectares in the state,” he told reporters after the opening of the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) office by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. The 20 hectares provided by Penang Port Sdn Bhd is also one of the factors in realising the objective of transforming the Penang Port as the world’s first Halal port, replacing the Rotterdam Port in The Netherlands. He said some 12,000 products from 3,500 companies have been issued Halal certificates. Speaking at the same media conference, Lim said opening of the first HDC state office was a proactive effort to expedite development of the Halal industry; and the industry’s potential is seen as the prime factor in efforts to balance the state’s economy. “Halal products have now transcended religious and racial barriers. It is no longer related to Halal labelling but as a label accepted as quality, sanctity, clean and safe (for consumption),” he added. | SOURCE: BERNAMA, 4 MARCH 2009 UNITED KINGDOM

ANIMAL WELFARE CENTRAL TO HALAL

Animal welfare is a top priority for the UK Halal meat industry, a leading consultant told delegates at the launch of a new DVD about Halal meat - an EBLEX event in Milton Keynes, aimed at public sector caterers. Nizar Boga, a consultant to EBLEX, also a speaker at the launch, told industry representatives that the welfare of animals is of extreme importance to Islamic traditions. “There is something that is badly missing in the slaughter equation when people forget the rights of animals. Animal rights are at the top of the agenda.” Nizar also revealed that he found that many of his fellow Muslims did not fully understand what Halal actually entailed. He was frustrated with the small minority of Halal butchers who sold non-Halal meat, and that there was feeling among some people that stunning could be accepted as part of the ritual. Nizar concluded by saying that he was appealing to organisations outside the Muslim community – such as Defra, EBLEX, the Food Standards Agency, and the National Farmers’ Union – to help organise Halal standards. | SOURCE: MEATINFO.CO.UK, 6 MARCH 2009

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PAKISTAN

SLOWDOWN SIGNS - DOWNTURN AFFECTING EXPORTS OF PAKISTAN

Business Recorder cited Syed Mohibullah Shah, CEO of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, as saying that the country is likely to miss the fiscal exports target of the current fiscal year; however, overall exports may surpass the last fiscal year’s exports by two per cent. Syed Mohibullah said that the global economic downturn is affecting the exports of Pakistan, although they have remained less affected as compared to the economies of the western world. He also pointed out that at present the country’s economic growth rate has declined by three per cent and Indian economic recession shows a slump of six per cent while other countries are faced with more severe economic recession. Syed Mohibullah said that TDAP is coming along with textile making efforts to boost the exports of other and new products to new world markets. “The continual Food Agriculture and Livestock Exhibition is part of the strategy for overall export increase,” he added. He vowed to increase the country’s share of Halal food in the world market and aim to reach new markets of the world, stating that TDAP is financing the stalls of women entrepreneurs in the exhibition to help them increase their share in the country’s overall economy. | SOURCE: STEELGURU.COM, 14 MARCH 2009

12 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

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GlobalNEWS MALAYSIA

MISC’S HALAL EXPRESS SERVICE STARTED

MISC Bhd, a shipping company, said its new Halal express service started on 1 April and offer clients more direct calls and cover more ports. The service will cover the Far East, South East Asia, Indian Sub-Continent and the Middle East and will be operated by MISC independently. The new port rotation will be Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Jakarta, Singapore, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Port Klang, Karachi, Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas, Karachi, Nhava Sheva, Colombo, Port Klang, Singapore and Shanghai. “This improved service offers the fastest route from Port Klang to Karachi,” it said in a statement. With the addition of Jakarta, MISC will also be the only carrier to have a direct service from Indonesia to Pakistan and the Middle East. | SOURCE: BTIMES.COM.MY, 19 MARCH 2009

“Malaysia has also successfully implemented the Islamic banking system which helped the country to face the crisis, so we hope that we can share the experience and bring it to our country,” Akylbek Japarov, Economic Development and Trade Minister, Kyrgyz Republic KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

USE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC AS GATEWAY, MALAYSIAN INVESTORS TOLD

The Kyrgyz Republic wants Malaysian investors to use the country as a gateway for business opportunities in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), said its Economic Development and Trade Minister Akylbek Japarov today. “Make use of our country as an entry platform and we will assist Malaysian businessmen who want to do business not only in Kyrgyz but also in the CIS countries,” he said at the roundtable meeting between a business delegation from Kyrgyz and representatives of Malaysian chambers and industry associations here. He invited the Malaysian private sector to explore potential investment opportunities available in Kyrgyz, particularly in the sectors of hydropower energy, infrastructure development and tourism. Saying that Kyrgyz has abundant mineral resources like gold, mercury, antimony, coal and tin, he said these could be exported to Malaysia. Japarov was impressed with Malaysia’s economic performance and how the country managed to sustain its growth since the 1997/98 financial crisis. “Malaysia has also successfully implemented the Islamic banking system which helped the country to face the crisis, so we hope that we can share the experience and bring it to our country,” he said. Last year, Malaysia’s total trade with the Kyrgyz Republic amounted to USD2.38 million (RM7.93 million). | SOURCE: BERNAMA, 13 MARCH 2009 UNITED KINGDOM

MIDDLE EAST RE-OPENS MARKETS TO ENGLISH MEAT

Industry leaders have welcomed news that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted its ban on English meat. In a bid to promote quality English Halal lamb to Middle Eastern countries, EBLEX visited the Dubai Gulfood Exhibition last month, a trip which generated significant interest from a number of potential buyers. EBLEX export manager Jean Pierre Garnier said, “The Middle East represents a major untapped export market for quality Halal lamb. There are many business opportunities in this region, with over 35 million wealthy lamb consumers. This would be incredibly beneficial to our export market.” Janan Meats Managing Director, Naved Syed, who accompanied EBLEX on the trip to Dubai, said, “I have been really keen to get an open dialogue going with the Middle Eastern countries for some time, and now they have announced that they will lift their ban on imports of meat from England, we have the green light to a potentially billion-pound market for Halal meat.” A ban on exports to the UAE was imposed as a result of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2000. Previous attempts were made to get the ban lifted, but the vets from the Emirates were not willing to come to inspect English facilities. Naved added, “The market for Halal meat in England is growing and the potential for sales from Muslim consumers in the EU and Middle East is massive.” | SOURCE: MEATINFO.CO.UK, 25 MARCH 2009 14 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

event highlights

SUCCESSFUL CLOSE AT THE 5TH WORLD ISLAMIC ECONOMIC FORUM Dato’ Dr. Norraesah Mohamed, Chairwoman of WIEF Businesswoman Network

Speakers lineup for one of the sessions...

The 5th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF 2009), themed “Food and Energy Security and Stemming the Tide of Global Financial Crisis”, held in Jakarta on 2-3 March 2009, gathered 1,500 delegates from 38 different countries. Opened by His Excellency Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, WIEF 2009 mainly focused on food and energy security in a period of crisis. Other issues also addressed included: creating innovative solutions to meet global food and energy challenges; and focusing on the creative imperative of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to penetrate new business areas. There were special addresses from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, His Excellency Abbas El Fassi the Moroccan Prime Minister, His Excellency Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah the Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar, His Excellency Sheikh Saud Saqr Al Qasimi the Crown Prince of Ras Alkhaimah Emirate UAE, and His Excellency Professor Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The opening ceremony was followed by the signing of memorandum of agreements (MOA) between 12 companies. Then, two panel sessions titled “Leadership Panel” and “Global CEO Panel” were followed by the Gala Dinner hosted by the President of 16 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

the Republic of Indonesia. Four plenary sessions were successfully conducted on the second day: Beyond Scarcity: Overcoming the Global Food Crisis; Paving for a Greener World: Creating a Future for Alternative Energy; Stemming the Tide of the Global Financial Crisis, and Global SMEs: Business beyond Boundaries. The forum concluded with the issuance of the Jakarta Declaration that stated: “We recognised that the recovery from the unprecedented current economic crisis, which has affected all nations, will require a concerted global effort through greater intergovernmental and publicprivate collaboration.” In essence, the declaration stated it supports: the OIC in its 10-year Plan of Action to accelerate greater regional economic cooperation; the Islamic Development Bank Task Force to promote Islamic Finance and Banking as a viable system; calls for effective regulations in the global financial industry to mitigate risk and failure; the establishment of Islamic Banking training centres to expand Shariah-compliant finance instruments such

as micro-credits. The declaration also recommended delegate countries to reduce regulatory barriers such as food subsidies that would hinder sustainable food production and trade; to develop policies to ensure a proper balance between food production for human consumption and energy usage; support energy conservation and carbon emission reduction programs; and reinforce efforts for research and development of non-carbon fuels and other alternative energy sources. The declaration also recommends the development of SMEs as the engine of growth in OIC countries; continue the “Training Programme for Women Entrepreneurs”; assist young Islamic leaders to grow into entrepreneurship positions; and promote the lifelong education initiatives for effective capacity building within OIC countries. WIEF Foundation is looking forward to organising the 6th WIEF on 18-20 May 2010 at the Kuala Lumpur hj Convention Centre, Malaysia.

For more information, log on to www. wief.org or contact +603 2145 5500.

event highlights

GULFOOD 2009 RISES ABOVE UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC CHALLENGES TO BOOST BUSINESS CONFIDENCE IN THE REGION Gulfood, the largest food exhibition in the Middle East and one of the world’s leading exhibitions covering food, drink foodservice and hospitality recorded an outstanding 16 per cent increase in visitor attendance while most importantly maintaining exceptional buyer quality. Gulfood has surpassed the expectations of global watchers to transcend economic challenges and deliver its most successful edition in its history. The achievement and substantial growth highlights Gulfood as a vital event driving the food industry in the region. Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Gulfood 2009 attracted 45,489 visitors from over 152 countries at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and the Airport Expo Dubai (AED). “Gulfood’s achievement at this critical time is an indisputable testament of the global confidence in the exhibitions capabilities to deliver and increase business and investments much needed to boost the economy,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of DWTC. “More significantly, it reaffirms Dubai’s leading position as the world’s most strategic and influential business hub. We continue to deliver maximum return on investment for participants amidst unprecedented economic conditions,” he added.

More than 3,300 companies, from 76 different countries exhibited at the four day exhibition; utilising Gulfood as a platform to launch new products and expand operations in the GCC. Many international organisations also used the event to explore business ventures and foster better trade relations with emerging markets. The commendation of this year’s show by participating companies was a result of the high calibre of visitors and quality business leads. Many suppliers now look to the Middle East market and recognise its growth potential. Gulfood presented global firms with a key platform to refocus priorities and assess strategies during current trading conditions. Gulfood remains highly relevant and useful as an education platform for the hospitality community in the region. Its showcase of green initiatives by innovative companies

and the concurrent conference on food safety organised by the Dubai Municipality makes it one of the most sought after events in the world. Trade visitors looking to support the long term growth and development of the hotel, restaurant and tourism industry in the region also found strong business opportunities. “As evidenced by the overwhelming exhibitor response, in times of global economic challenges and financial instability, it is even more vital for corporations worldwide to continue to engage and interact. Business meetings, conferences and exhibitions held at DWTC will remain the platform for this networking and will in turn stimulate opportunities that bring long-term economic benefits not only to Dubai, but to the wider Middle hj East region,” said Helal Saeed.

EVENT: SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL HALAL SHOWCASE (SIHAS) DATE: 2 – 4 JULY 2009 VENUE: SINGAPORE EXPO HALL 6

ASIAN HALAL SOURCING CONNECTION THROUGH SIHAS 2009 SIHAS once again returns to present an end-to-end solution for Halal products and services all around Asia. Hosted by the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SIHAS is focused in marketing raw material to finished products and services. As Halal is recognised as the symbol for wholesome, healthy, hygienically processed, safe and environmentally-friendly, demand for better quality and wider range of finished Halal products continue to increase. SIHAS, in its second edition, hopes to deliver competitive products with quality and variety. With increasing global Halal opportunity estimated at USD580 billion (estimated to exceed USD1 trillion by 2010 according to the Financial Times), Singapore aims to bring the expertise of production from around Asia. Using Singapore’s position as a transhipment hub and backed by clear policies and stability, SIHAS hopes to also bridge existing gaps in the Halal supply chain. This year, SIHAS introduces specialised areas of focus where events are designed to encourage participation as well as innovation leading to development and growth. Visitors will be treated to a wide range of products from around Asia, and each exhibitor is committed to produce their certification to provide transparency and eliminate doubts. Exhibitors are rigidly selected based

18 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

on their production capacity, product existence and their total commitment to engaging with a complete Halal solution. With various tools to assist existing or new businesses, this one stop solution event is for those whose task is to source for quality Halal products. SIHAS continuously demands and searches for new products and innovation, and as demand increases, more options must be made available to reach out to the market. This is necessary because the Halal industry has yet to reach maturity, and there are many segments that have yet to be filled. This is an opportunity for organisations to showcase for their next winning innovation. To be held in conjunction to the exhibition, visitors and exhibitors alike will see several sub-events such as the SIHAS Symposium, SIHAS Trade Exchange, SIHAS Entrepreneurial Roundtable, Modern

Muslim Fashion, and SIHAS Award. SIHAS 2009 will feature five new sub-events that are important to any developing society, such as: • SIHAS ReadyMade • SIHAS Bakery • SIHAS Candies • SIHAS Beauty • SIHAS Logistics With buyers and exhibitors from more than twenty countries from all over Asia congregating under one roof, this is one event that should not be missed by anyone planning to open markets to see a 20 per cent increase in sales. There will be something for everyone at this second edition of SIHAS, especially those looking for safe, healthy and quality products. hj For more information, log on to www. sihas.com or contact the SIHAS Secretariat at +65 6242 0872 or email to sihas@adexcomm.com.

event highlights

EVENT: ISLAMIC VENTURE CAPITAL & PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE 2009 DATE: 20 – 21 MAY 2009 VENUE: KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE, MALAYSIA

The 2nd Islamic Venture Capital and Private Equity Conference (IVCPEC) will be held on 20th – 21st May 2009 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), Malaysia, jointly organised by Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM) and Malaysian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (MVCA). Themed ‘Rooting Islamic Alternative Investments and Strategic Funds: Strengthening Cross Border Partnerships’, the conference will focus on the root of Islamic finance and its important role in socio and economic development of Islamic countries. Given Malaysia’s position as a leader in Islamic finance, Malaysia can play a significant role in developing the Islamic venture capital industry – a vital element in the Islamic value chain of corporate finance that will serve to increase the breadth and variety of Malaysia’s Islamic capital market offerings. The success of the inaugural IVCPEC in May 2008 made it the preferred event for Islamic venture capitalists and equity investors, professionals and service providers seeking updated information and for keeping abreast of international trends and developments that impact the planning, structuring, investing and managing of Islamic alternative investments in this region. With all development initiatives that have taken

place since IVCPEC 2008, industry leaders and world-class speakers will be presenting their papers at the two-day conference, focusing on the development of the Islamic VC and PE industries, including business trends, and standards and regulation policies. The conference also provides networking opportunities for delegates within this fast-evolving market. CEO of IBFIM Dato’ Adnan Alias said, “Throughout the conference, the main theme - rooting Islamic venture capital, where the system thrives on entrepreneurship - will constantly be highlighted.” “It is therefore essential for players of Islamic investment community to pool their ideas and resources together to constantly innovate the system and its processes to whet the appetite of a bigger market and ensure its sustainable development,” he added.

Dato’ Adnan acknowledged that the timing cannot be better for investment into Islamic finance in emerging markets for the following reasons: Emerging markets are those least affected by the current economic crisis Whilst debt finance has dried up for almost all other sectors, private equity and venture capital continue to attract attention from institutions Moderated panel discussion sessions will also be held during the conference to encourage the exchange of views, ideas and experiences, which will lead to the formulation of ways to promote and strengthen the commercial applications of Islamic principles in the financial system. hj

For more info, log on to www.islamicvc. com or contact Event Management at +603 2031 1010 ext. 532.

event highlights

EVENT: WORLD HALAL RESEARCH SUMMIT 2009 DATE: 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8 MAY 2009 VENUE: KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE, MALAYSIA

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SCIENCE The World Halal Research Summit 2009 is an international conference that provides the platform for scientists, researchers, scholars, and academicians to impart, discuss and exchange ideas on development in research, emerging technologies, current issues, future trends, and common challenges in the global Halal industry. In addition, participants will be provided with breakthrough innovations and best practices in products and services around the world. With nations placing tremendous emphasis on building human capital and developing a knowledgebased economy, it is imperative that the Halal industry indulge in research and development (R&D) to elevate itself onto a higher plane.

Organised by the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), the World Halal Research Summit will open the minds of participants and will be the catalyst in bringing R&D in the Halal industry to a new frontier. Expecting 600 to 700 delegates, it will be an attractive and insightful conference with great networking opportunities for participants and the speakers alike. Participants will have the opportunity of sharing and deliberating on scientific and technology issues with renowned speakers of international stature. hj

For more information, log on to htp://whr.hdcglobal.com or contact +603 7965 5555.

event highlights EVENT: BRUNEI INTERNATIONAL HALAL PRODUCTS EXPO (IHPE) DATE: 30 JULY - 2 AUGUST 2009 VENUE: INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM Our very successful inaugural Brunei International Halal Products Expo (IHPE) since 2006, officiated by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, had today put us firmly on the annual International Halal Exposition calendar. We followed that up with a bigger and even more memorable IHPE in 2007. His Majesty not only officiated the expo, but also consented to launch the now well-publicised Brunei Halal Brand. IHPE 2007 also witnessed the signing of 21 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam, with Australia and various Australian Companies. The success and growing popularity of Brunei IHPE is reflected in the following expo statistics. IHPE 2006 featured 73 exhibitors from 10 countries (95 booths) and welcomed 12,506 visitors. In 2007, the figures were doubled to 158 exhibitor companies from 26 countries (158 booths) and 39,322 visitors. Our third expo in 2008 continued this impressive upward trend, as IHPE continues to make its presence felt in the global Halal Marketplace: 182 exhibitors from 10 countries, 260 booths and an outstanding 48,522 visitors from 15 countries. Today, IHPE 2009 is firmly set to become an even more successful event. Together with our concurrent

International Halal Market Conference 2009, we are ready to take IHPE 2009 up another level. It ought to be emphasised here that IHPE 2009 is a Brunei Government-Organised Event: • IHPE 2009 is key to His Majesty’s Government’s efforts to establish Brunei as a premier Halal Centre; • Jointly organised by the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of Health, the substantial resources and backing of His Majesty’s Government will ensure the scale and grandeur of IHPE 2009; • IHPE 2009 is a Brunei Government Top Priority Agenda; • IHPE 2009 is positioned to spearhead the promotion of the Brunei Halal Brand which is setting the standards for Halal compliance and conformance in the Halal Products Industry. We trust that IHPE 2009 and the International Halal Market Conference

2009 will define a new and exciting direction to highlight and enhance the stature and significance of this exposition. All participants and visitors alike will, we believe, be able to benefit from the knowledge base, the incisive insights, the research findings, as well as the discussion of the various issues pertaining to the Halal Industry worldwide. With these two important agendas working in synergy, the 2009 Brunei International Halal Expo will define an integrated platform, not only to showcase Shariah-compliant products and services, but also to facilitate the exchange and discussion of ideas and issues pertaining to Shariah compliance and conformance.

Department of Export Promotion, the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and world-class German event organiser Koelnmesse, is once again formulated to ensure that THAIFEX - World of Food ASIA 2009 will live up to all expectations.” Mr. Michael Dreyer, Vice President Asia Pacific of Koelnmesse, is certain that this year’s trade fair will be another success despite the economic downturn; “Participating in trade fairs have been proven to be an effective channel for marketing communications and business networking. This is why our exhibitor figures are quite consistent with previous years.” Business seminars and workshops will also be conducted, deliberating on topics ranging from challenges in import and export in today’s market, and trends in health food, to industry-specific topics on the latest in processing and packaging technology, as well as palm oil.

In line with the organisers’ focus on Coffee and Tea at the trade fair, new activities are planned this year for baristas, coffee enthusiasts, roasters and coffee shop owners, with exciting topics such as ‘Hands-On Espresso’, ‘Coffee Cupping for Beginners’, ‘Are You Ready for Coffee Roasting?’, ‘Bring Your Coffee House through the Economic Crisis’, and ‘JapaneseStyle Coffee Brewing’. Organised by Koelnmesse Pte Ltd in cooperation with the Department of Export Promotion (DEP) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), THAIFEX – World of Food ASIA 2009 will be open to trade visitors only on 13th to 15th May, and then also open to the public on 16th and 17th May. hj

For more information on the International Halal Products Expo 2009 and the 4th International Halal Market Conference, please visit the website at www.bruneihalalexpo.com.

EVENT: THAIFEX – WORLD OF FOOD ASIA 2009 DATE: 13 – 17 MAY 2009 VENUE: IMPACT CHALLENGER, BANGKOK, THAILAND Around 1,000 exhibitors from 32 countries/regions and 20,000 trade visitors from around the world are expected to participate in this 6th edition of THAIFEX – World of Food Asia, covering food and beverage featuring Halal and organic, food catering and hospitality services, food technology, and retail and franchise. THAIFEX – World of Food Asia is set to be the premier Asian food and beverage trade fair of the year - showcasing a wide-range of products, with special zones for ‘Halal Food’, ‘Organic Food’, ‘Food Safety from Thailand’ and ‘Design in Thailand’ - set up for ease of access. The Philippines has increased their exhibiting space threefold, with a contingent of about 30 local manufacturers taking up 216 sq m, as compared to last year with 18 manufacturers and 72 sq m. This year, the pavilion is organised by the Centre for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), which is an export promotions agency of the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry. Korea is another repeat group exhibitor which has increased its exhibiting space to feature 16 manufacturers with over 144 sqm of exhibiting space. Other group pavilions taking part are from Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Netherlands and Taiwan. Mr. Rachane Potjanasuntorn, Director General of the Department of Export Promotion (DEP), says, “The outstanding partnership of the

22 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

For further information, log on to www.worldoffoodasia.com or contact Hazel Chan from Koelnmesse Pte Ltd at +65 6500 6731, or email h.chan@koelnmesse.com.sg.

event highlights EVENT: 4TH INTERNATIONAL HALAL MARKET CONFERENCE 2009: HALAL – AN ENGINE OF GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY DATE: 1-2 AUGUST 2009 VENUE: INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

This year, with the ongoing concern about the state of the global economy, the IHMC 2009 will focus on the pivotal role that the Halal industry can play as an engine of growth for economic recovery. Despite the global economic downturn, the demand for Halal products and services has never been higher. Global interest in Halal continues to grow with the implementation of new standards, commercial developments and international joint ventures. The Halal sector is emerging as a powerful engine of growth in the global economy. As a Malay Islamic Monarchy, Brunei Darussalam has made a strong commitment to the development of the Halal sector, both as an Islamic responsibility, as well as a means of economic strength and diversification. In 2008, Brunei’s IHMC 2008 set a new standard for high quality, industry-led conference content. Themed ‘The Emergence of the Halal Market Economy’, the IHMC 2008 brought together leading Halal sector specialists to review the progress of this exciting new market paradigm. This year’s IHMC 2009, themed ‘Halal – An Engine

for Growth and Opportunity’, presents a selection of topics that will address issues of global market concern, as well as showcase the advances that Brunei’s Halal agenda has made in recent years. Conference sessions will include: • Brunei’s Role in the Global Halal Market • Developing Infrastructure for the Halal Industry • Marketing Halal Products & Services • Halal Guidelines for the Pharmaceutical Sector • Halal Standards Development for the OIC • Halal Ingredients - the Key to Market Expansion • Analysis & Testing Methods in Halal Science • The Business of Halal - Balancing Priorities

Speakers from Canada, USA, United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam have been invited to speak on these topics, and share their professional experience in these fields. There will be Panel Sessions to give the audience the opportunity to ask relevant questions to these experts. For anyone working in the Halal industry, this will be an ideal time to network with Halal specialists from around the globe, and update yourself on how Halal can be an engine of growth and opportunity for your business, and your country. hj

For more information go to: www. bruneihalal.gov.bn or contact the Event Manager, Imarat Consultants: salama@imaratconsultants.com.

event highlights EVENT: 6TH INTERNATIONAL HALAL SHOWCASE DATE: 6 – 10 MAY 2009 VENUE: MATRADE EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE (MECC), KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

PLANTING LOCAL HALAL PRODUCTS ON WORLD SHELVES The Halal market is emerging as one of the most lucrative and influential market arenas in the world today. As Halal becomes a global symbol of quality assurance and lifestyle choice, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is once again set to organise the 6th International Halal Showcase or MIHAS 2009, from 6 to 10 May at the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC), Kuala Lumpur. Aptly themed ‘Halal Worlds Combine’, MIHAS 2009 aims to foster stronger trade connections with global Halal players to provide mutual support in expanding the Halal market. With MIHAS 2009 as a platform, MATRADE acts as an export channel, helping local companies explore the international market and prepare themselves well by introducing trade buyers, assessing markets, identifying opportunities, making introductions to relevant international agencies, and providing advice on international laws and regulations. Dato’ Noharuddin Nordin, CEO of MATRADE, believes that Malaysia is not only a supplier of Halal products but also a wide range of quality foodstuff. An added advantage for Malaysia is its Halal certification, recognised, accepted and renowned in the Islamic world. MATRADE is working with both the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) and the Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) to promote the Malaysian Halal standard, MS1500:2004. The Halal food market is becoming competitive with new suppliers like Thailand, Brazil and Australia. However, Malaysia’s niche is processed Halal foods, and the value-added activities Malaysia offers will provide the business edge required in this age of globalisation. Halal products include non-food products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, healthcare, toiletries and other nonconsumables. Market opportunities for this range of products are huge, especially in Muslim countries, due to lack of supply. Malaysia, through its agencies and ministries, has put into place necessary incentives, infrastructure, programmes and Halal-related events to assist local manufacturers in developing necessary competitive advantages, as well as facilitating local companies to expand their business networks.

26 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

One such effort is the upcoming MIHAS 2009, organised since 2004. The event aims at providing the most effective avenue for local and foreign participants to offer Halal-related products and services. Now in its sixth year, MIHAS has consistently attracted large numbers of local and foreign delegates and has grown to be the largest Halal trade fair in the world, where the return investments are substantial. In conjunction with MIHAS 2009, other events are organised concurrently to enhance the exhibition and further stimulate the growing interest in the global Halal market and increased awareness on Halal products: INCOMING BUYING MISSION (IBM) PROGRAMME (5 TO 6 MAY) Provides opportunities for buyers and sellers to establish new business alliances in trade and business. Buyers will be flown in from around the world to participate in one-on-one business meetings with Malaysian exporters of Halal products. MIHAS Apprentice Chefs’

Competition (MACCTM) For the first time, a quest in search of the best culinary talents around the world to further enhance the exposure of quality Halal products in the mainstream global food and beverage market. THE WORLD HALAL RESEARCH 2009 SUMMIT (7 TO 8 MAY) Organised by HDC, this conference is expected to be the catalyst in bringing the Halal Research and Development frontier further. The conference is important as it provides a platform for scientists, researchers and scholars to discuss and share the latest developments, product innovation, best practices and more within the Halal industry. The sixth edition of MIHAS will take place from 6-10 May 2009 at MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre, hj Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. To find out more about what MIHAS offers for your businesses, please contact the MIHAS SECRETARIAT at Tel: +603 6203 4433 or Fax: +603 6203 4422. Email to enquiry@halal.org.my or log on to www.halal.com.my.

news+update

TAKING HALAL TO THE WORLD STAGE

The International Halal Integrity Alliance (IHI Alliance) has taken part in two major events in February 2009, namely the CIES Food Initiative Conference held in Barcelona on 4 February and the prestigious event, Gulfood 2009, in Dubai on 25 February. CIES Conference: Around 60 people made the effort to turn up for the early breakfast session at 8.15am

Andulla Conget of Halal Consulting makes over 500km journey from Cordoba to meet Darhim Hashim, CEO of IHI Alliance at the CIES Conference

CIES Conference: Dr Jochen P.Zoller talks about Halal Best Practices and Intergrating Halal and other international standards & ethics

Darhim Hashim, CEO of IHI Alliance introduces Halal for the first time at the CIES Conference The plenary session at the CIES Conference

IHI Alliance Dubai Meeting: Darhim, with Saleh Lootah, the CEO of Al Islami (middle) and Mr Hani Lashim the General Manager of Al Jawhara (left) during the Press Conference

Georges-Eric Le Nigen introduces the breakfast session on Halal Certification at the CIES Conference

uring the CIES Food Initiative Conference, IHI Alliance presented a talk on “Halal Certification – The Global Scenario”. The Halal market is not constrained to the Muslim countries only. Based on a survey conducted on consumption of Halal food in both Muslim and non-Muslim countries, the total Halal food expenditure on a per capita basis is the highest in Muslim minority countries within the region of Europe and North America. The US Kosher market alone is worth USD100 billion catering for a cross-section of consumers, which consists of more Muslims than Jews. This consumer profile can easily be a contribution to the global Halal industry. In most countries, Halal certification is unregulated and many Muslim majority countries have no certification at all. The development of the International Halal Standard is very crucial to address the uncertainty and the many unresolved questions of the industry. It is thus important to uphold the integrity of Halal for the benefit of the industry and consumers at large. Speaking to 600 food safety specialists from over 28 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

50 countries on bringing transparency and trust to Halal consumers worldwide, IHI Alliance introduced the importance of a unified Halal standard. “The Halal concept goes far beyond merely slaughter. The International Halal Standard takes a more holistic approach of addressing the relevant sectors of the whole supply chain from animal welfare to logistics and downstream products,” commented Darhim Dali Hashim, CEO of IHI Alliance. At the recent Gulfood 2009 in Dubai, IHI Alliance held standards development meeting to coincide with the region’s largest and most important industry event. The International Halal Standard modules being discussed were Food Processing and Food Service. Hosted by Al Islami Foods Co. and the Al Jawhara Group of Hotels and Apartment for the Food Processing and Food Service modules respectively, the meeting drew over 30 participants from 16 countries namely Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, India, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and United States of America.

Representatives from the national Standardisation authorities in the region were also present including the Saudi Arabian Standardisation Organisation (SASO) and the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA). Numerous Halal certification bodies and major industry players such as MacDonald’s and Campbell’s provided valuable input to the modules which will be incorporated into the International Halal Standard. The day’s sessions were moderated by IHI Alliance Chief Executive Officer, Darhim Dali Hashim, who was assisted on the panel by Dr Hani Al-Mazeedi, Associate Research Scientist from the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research, who has over 30 years experience in the field of Halal standards and systems. HALAL FOOD SERVICE Hani Lashin, General Manager at the Al Jawhara Group of Hotels and Apartment (“Al Jawhara”), explained the concept of a “Halal hotel” which incorporates the principles of Shariah (Islamic jurisprudence) throughout its operations. The positive values of the Shariah have a far-reaching appeal that goes beyond Muslims. “Over 60 per cent of

our guests are non-Muslims” clarified Hani, “we benchmark against international standards and on top of that, we are Shariah-compliant.” Around two thirds of the staff at Al Jawhara are in fact non-Muslims, and all of them observe Islamic practices such as greeting “Assalamualaikum” and wearing the Abaya and Hijab for female staff. “Being a Halal hotel is more than just serving Halal food and prohibiting alcohol,” adds Mr. Hani, “all our financing is Shariah-compliant and we incorporate the principles of Shariah across our operations, including how we manage our staff.” HALAL FOOD PROCESSING The second session in the afternoon was initiated by Mr Joachim Yebouet, Chief Technical Officer at Al Islami Foods Co. (“Al Islami”). “We at Al Islami undertake the responsibility to ensure that the entire supply chain is in fact ‘real Halal’,” explained Mr Joachim, “right down to what is being fed to the livestock.” Mr Saleh A. Lootah, Chief Executive Officer of Al Islami, was on hand to offer his views and comments: “We adopt a no-compromise approach to ensuring Halal integrity. We can achieve this

news+update

EVENT PARTICIPATION OF IHI ALLIANCE AROUND THE GLOBE

3-6 FEBRUARY 2009 CIES FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE, BARCELONA From left: Dr Hani Al-Mazeedi, Dr Habib M.Nasria, Quality Assurance Director of McDonald’s Middle East Development, Darhim and Mr Joachim Yebouet of Al Islami

23-26 FEBRUARY 2009 GULFOOD 2009 – THE 14TH GULF FOOD, HOTEL AND EQUIPMENT EXHIBITION AND SALON CULINAIRE, DUBAI

Mr Joachim Yebouet, Chief Technical Officer of Al Islami

by cooperating closely with our suppliers and treating them as partners rather than imposing conditions on them.” The conclusion of both sessions resulted in considerable progress on establishing the parameters and guidelines that will form the Halal Food Service and Halal Food Processing modules. “We are very honoured to be working alongside Al Islami and Al Jawhara in this endeavour,” said Darhim Hashim, CEO of IHI Alliance. “They are both pioneers in the Halal industry who have set a benchmark for others to emulate. I am particularly pleased that we had such good representation across all the relevant stakeholders in today’s session. The balanced views presented contributed to, Insya Allah, what will be an International Halal Standard.” DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL HALAL STANDARD At the Media Launch of the World Halal Forum 2009 in Kuala Lumpur on 23 January 2009, the Chairman of the international forum, His Excellency Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel, said that the standards will be tabled at the Organisation of the

Event Profile: The CIES International Food Safety Conference is an annual event that brings together over 600 food safety specialists from over 50 countries around the world to discuss and debate about food safety in the company.

Islamic Conference (OIC) committee meeting and at the Islamic Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) general assembly. Sheikh Saleh, who is also the President of the ICCI which represents 700 chambers of commerce in the OIC, and the Chairman of IHI Alliance, said the international Halal standard will be unveiled during the World Halal Forum, which will be held in May in Malaysia. “After May, IHI Alliance will start authorising national Halal certification organisations worldwide, amongst the members of the OIC and the exporters to the OIC countries too. Therefore, all products will have two logos – of the IHI Alliance and the national certification body,” commented Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel, at the Press Conference to announce the World Halal Forum 2009. The World Halal Forum (WHF) is established as the Premier event in the Halal Industry. The 2009 forum most importantly, taps into the emotions of 1.8 billion Halal consumers in a USD3 trillion industry. Themed as “Achieving Global Halal Integrity”, the 4th World Halal Forum will introduce the International Halal Standard for public review. hj

Event Profile: Gulfood is the region’s largest and most important industry event of the year and a strategic platform for buyers and sellers to conduct direct business face to face. The exhibition is a showcase for manufacturers, distributors and suppliers from around the world, representing all the key factors within the food and hospitality trade.

25-26 APRIL 2009 INTERNATIONAL HALAL FOOD CONFERENCE 2009, TURKEY

Event Profile: The 2nd International Halal Food Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, is themed “Halal Certification in Global Trade”. The conference is organised by the Association for Inspection and Certification of Food (GIMDES).

4-5 MAY 2009 WORLD HALAL FORUM, MALAYSIA

Event Profile: Themed “Achieving Global Halal Integrity”, the 4th World Halal Forum is a platform for deliberations between industry players and stakeholders in the Halal market to set the direction of the Halal industry.

6-10 MAY 2009 MALAYSIAN INTERNATIONAL HALAL SHOWCASE

Event Profile: The world’s largest Halal trade fair and Malaysia’s largest food and beverage exhibition, it is held annually to

congregate the largest gathering of Halal industry players and entrepreneurs in the effort to ease the sourcing and selling of global quality Halal products.

7-8 MAY 2009 WORLD HALAL RESEARCH 2009, MALAYSIA Event Profile: Organised by Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), it is an international conference in Halal science.

2-4 JULY 2009 SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL HALAL SHOWCASE (SIHAS) Event Profile: Themed as “Asian Halal Sourcing Connection”, SIHAS is a platform for safe, healthy and quality choices. The event is hosted by Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

22-24 JULY 2009 THE INTERNATIONAL HALAL IRIS EXHIBITION, AMMAN, JORDAN Event Profile: International Halal Show

13-15 AUGUST 2009 THE HALALIST EXPO 2009, ISTANBUL, TURKEY Event Profile: New gateway between Asia and Middle East, for national and international exhibitors of Halal industry, to participate and enter new potential markets.

17-19 AUGUST 2009 BRUNEI INTERNATIONAL HALAL PRODUCTS EXPO Event Profile: The event is an opportunity to promote Halal brand via niche market for global halal goods.

10-14 OCTOBER 2009 ANUGA, COLOGNE, GERMANY

Event Profile: International Trade Fair for food & beverages; for exhibitors and visitors to conduct cross-border business and participate in international networking.

29-31 OCTOBER 2009 DUBAI INTERNATIONAL HALAL FAIR (DIHAS)

Event Profile: The prestigious event will bring together companies from around the world to display genuine Halal products and services. THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

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FARM’S BEST: ONLY THE BEST IN QUALITY HALAL POULTRY GOODS

arm’s Best takes great pride in giving its customers the very best. Which is why only the best goes into Farm’s Best poultry products. As one of Malaysia’s top poultry producers and a leading broiler and poultry products supplier for retailers, hotels and restaurant chains in Malaysia as well as major Southeast Asian markets, Farm’s Best strives to maintain its good farming and manufacturing practices to meet the demands of its customers. All Farm’s Best products are made only from the freshest cuts of meat and quality natural ingredients that have been vetted by respected quality control bodies including the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). The poultry producer employs state-of-the-art processing,

30 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

packing and storage methods to retain freshness, nutrients and natural flavour for quality products that are free from common flavour enhancers like Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Hydrolysed Vegetable Proteins (HVPs). WHAT ARE HYDROLYSED VEGETABLE PROTEINS? A common savoury flavouring agent used in processed foods to enhance or simulate the taste of meat. Some HVPs contain MSG. HEALTHIER CHICKENS… NATURALLY Since its establishment in 1995, the poultry producer has strived to maintain good farming practices for healthy livestock. Its largescale poultry breeding and hatchery operations are complemented by on-site veterinarians, routine health inspections and the company’s own livestock feed mills. The chickens are raised

on feed that’s based on allnatural ingredients fortified with essential vitamins and supplements produced according to strict dietary guidelines for proper nutrition. It is this commitment to good farming practices that ensures every Farm’s Best product starts with prime poultry meat. QUALITY AND SAFETY ASSURED Farm’s Best is ISO 9001-2000 certified and operates on a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) System. The system is inspected and approved by the Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia and helps to provide strict safety measures for the company’s feed mills, hatcheries, brood and broiler farms as well as processing, packaging, transportation and storage systems. The HACCP System, which is applied across livestock industries around the world, provides a framework to

monitor all food preparation and handling processes against risks of contamination by foodborne illnesses. In addition to that, all Farm’s Best products and processes are also subject to GMP requirements. By applying these comprehensive quality and food safety measures, Farm’s Best is able to ensure that its chicken products are safe to eat. HALAL IN EVERY WAY All Farm’s Best products and processes meet the Halal requirements set by the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). This certification is only awarded upon full inspection of raw materials, manufacturing processes, products and storage facilities, so consumers can be rest assured that every Farm’s Best product is Halal. In order to meet the exacting standards imposed by the Halal

laws, the poultry producer has an in-house Halal committee to oversee production processes and all Farm’s Best broilers are slaughtered according to Islamic rites by registered Muslim slaughtermen. The company also makes it a point to only buy raw ingredients from suppliers who carry the Halal certification by the HDC/JAKIM. A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS FOR A VARIETY OF TASTES Farm’s Best offers fresh whole broilers, chicken cuts and frozen poultrybased products ranging from chicken frankfurters to fully-cooked, marinated whole chicken. The wide range of great tasting Halal products under the Farm’s Best name mean they can be readily accepted in various markets around the world. Today, Farm’s Best exports to Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines and even as far as Hong Kong. Not content with just nuggets, meatballs and burgers, Farm’s Best is always looking to expand its product lines with unique products that deliver quality, freshness and taste. Its fullycooked range of products has garnered industry awards for innovation and new products are constantly being developed to meet the changing demands of consumers. Recently, the company introduced two new products to the Malaysian market: the cumin-flavoured Farm’s Best Chicken Fillets and the crunchy Farm’s Best Tempura Chicken Nuggets. The Chicken Fillets are whole chunks of chicken meat coated in a spiced batter that offer busy cooks a quick and delicious freezer-to-fryer option for a main dish or as a side dish. Adding to the various nugget product lines under the Farm’s Best brand is a tempura-style nugget that has extra crunch in its light batter coating. HOW SAFE ARE PRECOOKED FOODS? Pre-cooked products are processed, cooked and packed

BY APPLYING THESE COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY AND FOOD SAFETY MEASURES, FARM’S BEST IS ABLE TO ENSURE THAT ITS CHICKEN PRODUCTS ARE SAFE TO EAT. under tightly controlled conditions where temperature, hygiene and minimal handling are the key to limiting contamination. Contamination leads to spoilage, therefore stringent hygiene and food safety methods are undertaken by Farm’s Best to retain the freshness and quality of the products. PRE-COOKED WITH SAFETY IN MIND Apart from fresh whole broilers or cuts and frozen partially cooked products, Farm’s Best produces a range of products that are pre-cooked and

packaged for minimal handling from the freezer straight to the microwave or frying pan. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION Over the years, Farm’s Best has been recognised for its achievements in the poultry industry. The company has won several product innovation awards and other notable industry awards. • Super Brands Malaysia 2003/04 • Malaysian Livestock Industry Award 2001 and 2003 • Outstanding Meat Processor Award 2003 • Outstanding Product

Innovation Award 2001 • Best Product Award 2000, Farm’s Best Ayam Percik (Pre-cooked) • Best Malaysian Product 2000, 7th ASEAN Food Conference ONLY THE BEST Farm’s Best is synonymous with innovative, wholesome products that are tasty and easy to prepare. Promising “Only The Best For Your Family”, the company continues to expand its product lines and upgrade operations to meet increasing market demands both locally and abroad. THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

Cover Story

HALAL AND HARAM IN

the Animal Kingdom Are crabs Halal? How about frogs and birds? The Halal Journal presents the basics of Halal and Haram in the animal kingdom, with reference to the major schools of thought or Muslim jurists – Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali.

alal refers to that which the Creator has made lawful. Its opposite, Haram, refers to what is forbidden, and these two parameters have been designed for health, safety and benefit of all mankind regardless of age, faith, and culture. Now, what is Halal and Haram for consumption in the wide scope of the animal kingdom? The question of what is permissible and not permissible for consumption in the animal kingdom can be answered by referring to the basic guideline stated in the following Surahs in the Quran. Surah Al Ma’idah, verse 3: “Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name other than Allah; That which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; That which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; Unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); That which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (Forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety.” Surah Al Ma’idah, verse 4: “They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food). Say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure...” With that in mind, let’s look at the animal kingdom. The animal kingdom largely includes approximately two million different species of animals that have been identified on Planet Earth and ten thousand more species of animals are discovered every year. Now these animals are classified into nine major phyla in the animal kingdom, whereby eight phyla categorises invertebrates (animals without a backbone) and one phylum of vertebrates (animals with a backbone). The vertebrates are further classified into five different classes: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians; and these are the 32 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

“They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food). Say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure...” Surah Al Ma’idah, verse 4

groups that will be covered in this article, as well as a group of invertebrates called crustaceans that fall under the phylum arthropoda.

MAMMALS

Based on Quranic interpretations, Muslims are allowed to consume all things good and pure. In the mammal category there are the carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores. According to Islamic jurisprudence it is not permissible to consume carnivorous (flesh eating) animals. Most carnivores are animals that hunt with their teeth and claws, such as tigers, cats, dogs, and so on. The Hanafi, Shafi’i and Hanbali jurists regards consumption of carnivores as Haram, and only the Maliki jurists consider the consumption of carnivores as Makruh (discouraged). Herbivores only consumes plants and fruits, and are generally Halal with several exceptions as agreed by all Muslim scholars from the four schools of thought. The exceptions are: • Tamed and domesticated donkeys are considered Haram by all four schools of thought • Animals slaughtered in a name other than Allah are all considered Haram (even if the animal is lawful for consumption before slaughtering) • Animals that are not properly slaughtered or are not slaughtered in accordance of Shariah are all considered Haram • Horses are regarded as Halal from consumption by all jurists except the Hanafi jurists who regards horses as Makruh for consumption • All dead animals (carcass) are Haram by all four schools of thought Omnivores are however a tricky group to explain, as they could have the traits of both carnivores and herbivores, and they eat both plants and animals as their primary food source. They are general feeders who are not specifically adapted to eat and digest either meat or plant exclusively. Some of them hunt for their food like carnivores, eating herbivores and other omnivores; whereas some others are scavengers who eat dead matter; and many will eat eggs from other animals. Omnivores eat plants; however, unlike herbivores that can eat all sorts of plants, omnivores cannot digest certain substances in grains

or other plants that do not produce fruit. Some examples of omnivores are bears, foxes, chickens, swine (boars and pigs), hedgehogs, opossums, chimpanzees, raccoons, and rodents (rats, mice, chipmunks, sloths, skunks and squirrels). The important fact to note is that as long as the animal does not fall in the category of Haram, it should be permissible for consumption, but can also be doubtful (Mashbooh). The legal ruling agreed upon by all four schools for omnivores is that all types of omnivores are Halal, except the swine (boars and pigs), which has been clearly stated as Haram in the Quran; and if deemed impure or mixed with impurities, harmful, intoxicating and not slaughtered according to the Shariah. When in doubt, it is always better to stay away from consuming it.

BIRDS

Birds are characterised as warm blooded vertebrate animals that have wings and feathers, and they can be categorised into four main groups: perching birds, flightless birds, birds of prey, and water birds. Perching birds possess feet that allow them to easily grasp branches, and have beaks adapted for catching worms and insects, cracking seed, and reaching deep down into flowers to collect nectar. Water birds such as flamingos have long legs and toes for wading. Ducks and geese are the most familiar water birds, and they have paddlelike feet for swimming. There have been several questions asked about which birds can or cannot be consumed, especially ducks and geese. Ostriches, rheas, and penguins are a few examples of flightless birds, and with the exception of the penguin, flightless birds generally have strong leg muscles that enables them to rapidly escape from their enemy. These birds have relatively small wing when considering their body sizes. Birds of prey are excellent fliers with keen eyesight, and have sharp toes called talons which enables them to grasp and hold their prey. They also have sharp, curved beaks that allow them to tear their prey into small pieces, so that they can swallow their food. Birds of prey eat small animals like reptiles, mammals, fish and other birds. Some examples of birds or prey include eagles, owls, crows, and seagulls. According to the legal ruling by the four Muslim jurists, all types of birds are THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

Cover Story

“Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food – for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel...” Surah Al Ma’idah verse 96

Halal except those that are impure or mixed with impurities, harmful, intoxicating, and those that hunts with talons. Muslim scholars disputed in some types of birds such as: • Birds of prey: All are considered Haram by three schools of thought (Hanafi, Shafi’i, and Hanbali), except the Maliki jurists. • Hoopoe (hud-hud) birds: Muslims scholars from three schools consider consumption of the hoopoe birds as Haram, except the Maliki jurists who considers it Makruh. • Swallows are considered as Haram for all Muslim jurists except the Maliki and Hanafi schools. • Shrike birds are considered Haram by all Muslim jurists except the Maliki scholars, and are considered Makruh by Hanafi scholars.

FISH

Fish are cold blooded aquatic vertebrates with fins and gills that help them swim and breathe. Fish come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most are torpedo-shaped (fusiform) that allows them to travel efficiently through the water. Fish are classified into three types: jawless fish such as lampreys and hagfishes; skeleton fish such as stingrays and sharks; and bony skeletal fish which is a type of fish that possess a swim bladder that help them float at different levels in water. According to legal ruling that was agreed upon by all four schools of thought, all types of fish are Halal for consumption except those that are impure or mixed with impurities, harmful and poisonous or intoxicating. However, the Hanafi scholars exclude floating fish from this ruling.

CRUSTACEANS

Crustaceans are invertebrates that fall under a very large group of arthropods in the animal kingdom. Some familiar examples are crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimps and barnacles. A majority of crustaceans are aquatic, living in either marine or fresh water environments. However, a few groups have adapted to life on land such as terrestrial crabs and terrestrial hermit crabs. Crabs are related to lobsters and shrimps, but have evolved to crawl sideways, as well as burrow and swim. The legal ruling by all Muslim scholars on the consumption of crabs, lobsters and shrimps are Halal, except the Hanafi jurists who consider crabs as Haram and shrimps Halal for consumption, and the Shafi’i scholars who consider only terrestrial/ land crabs as Haram. 34 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

As stated in the Quran (Surah Al Ma’idah verse 96): “Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food – for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel...”

AMPHIBIANS

Amphibians are characterised as animals with smooth, moist skin that aids in respiration during the adult stage of their life. They are best known for the unique characteristic of being able to live part of their life in water and part on land. Most amphibians can survive terrestrial environments, but they must return to the water to reproduce. Most amphibians hatch from eggs that are laid in water or from moist ground. Some adult amphibians continue living in water, but most live their adult life on land. Amphibians must continue to live around water for two reasons: to reproduce; and for respiration (to maintain moist on their skin as their skin must remain damp in order for them to take in oxygen). Some examples of amphibians are frogs and toads that have four legs and no tail; salamanders that have four or two short and weak legs and no tail, and caecilians that have no legs and resembles large earthworms, an usually live in underground burrows, although some are aquatic. All amphibians are considered as Haram for consumption by all schools of thought except the Maliki jurists.

REPTILES

Reptiles are more suited for terrestrial life compared to amphibians. Some of the major characteristics of reptiles are dry-scaly skin, limbs suited for locomotion, copulatory organs that permits internal fertilisation, and they lay eggs

on land that has a leathery outer covering which prevent them for drying out on land. Reptiles are classified into four major classes: crocodiles and alligators; lizards and snakes; tuatara; and turtles and tortoises. Crocodiles and alligators spend most of their time underneath the water with its eyes and nostrils above the surface. They can be differentiated by their snout. Snakes are noted for their unusual method of capturing their prey. Some are poisonous and possess special glands that produce venom, which they inject into their prey through special teeth called fangs. They also use their tongue to find their prey and for smelling. Lizards however are different from snakes because they have legs, possess ears to detect sounds and most of them eat insects. Tuatara is a single species of reptile that is only found in New Zealand, and at first glance resembles lizards. Both male and female tuataras have a crest of spiky scales, called spines, down the centre of their backs and tails, and have no external ears as lizards do. They enjoy cooler weather, while lizards like it warm. And, unlike lizards, tuataras are nocturnal. But their most curious body part is a “third eye” on the top of the head. Turtles and tortoises are two reptiles that look alike and their bodies are adapted to live together in two totally different environments, Turtles spends most of its time in water and they have paddle-shaped legs for swimming. Tortoises however have stumpy legs and solid legs because they spend most of their time on land. The legal ruling on consumption of reptiles is Haram as agreed upon by all Muslim jurists except hj the Maliki scholars.

References: • The Meaning of the Holy Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali • The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi • The Fiqh of Halal and Haram Animals by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam Al Khawtari (http:// qa.sunnipath.com” http://qa.sunnipath.com) • Crabs & Seafood: Clarification by Sidi Mostafa Azzam (“http://qa.sunnipath. com” http://qa.sunnipath.com) • Which animals are permissible and not permissible to eat? by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed (http:// qa.sunnipath.com” http://qa.sunnipath.com) • Ruling on Shrimp by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani (http://qa.sunnipath.com” http://qa.sunnipath.com) • Crab by Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopaedia • An Updated Classification of the Recent Crustacea by J.W. Martin and G.E. Davis (2001) • Crustacea, Tatner Bio-media course on www-biol.paisley.ac.uk • The Animal Kingdom by Joe Lewis • What is an Omnivore? (http://www. qrg.nothwestern.edu) • Surah Al Ma’idah verse 4 ª Surah Al Ma’idah verse 3

In general, the global market size of the food industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; based on consumption/ expenditure calculation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; amounted to USD3,842.6 billion in 2004. This figure rose to USD3,872.8 billion in 2005 and increased further to USD3,992.2 billion in 2009, and is projected to rise to USD4,021.3 billion in 2010.

Words By IRFAN SUNGKAR

The Global Halal Food Industry

Revisited

he Halal industry is quite unique in the sense that it is the largest industry where religious values are upheld during the production and even consumption of the products. By the definition itself, it is a product permitted to be consumed if it is not against the Shariah or Islamic law. It has been quoted world-wide that the potential of the global Halal food market is huge to the tune of USD580 billion and growing rapidly. This figure is repetitively used by almost everyone since 2004. If the industry is in fact growing, why has this figure remained the same? In any industry related to consumer products, assessment of market size, knowledge on customers and their requirements, and the growth factors are the most important fundamental elements to be gathered. For the global Halal food industry (while Islam is already one of the top religions with the largest number of followers), sadly, we still cannot have a device or the means to 36 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

compute and generate these important information on a sustainable basis. The lack of accurate and continuously accessible data related to the global Halal food industry is one of a few major factors which potentially can deter the future growth potentials of the global Halal food industry.

Muslim Population in the World: Political Disinformation

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. In 2008, the Vatican announced that

Islam is now the largest religion in the world. For those working with population data, it is becoming evident that to know the exact number of Muslim population in the world is a daunting task. In Europe and most other Western countries, religious affiliation cannot be asked in any census, even in the identification papers. In China, the estimation of Muslims range between 40 million to 150 million. While in India, our recent research found that the number of Muslims in India

has far exceeded what was initially believed; and as of today, it can reach 14 per cent, or more than 160 million. It has to be understood that when a proportion of Muslims in a country is relatively high, then the political ramification is also high, particularly in the Western countries, as there are fears that these Muslims will ask for representation in the political process – an irony, considering these countries are so called ‘champions for democracy and human rights’. This is the reason why we will never get the exact number of Muslims in Europe and some other countries. Based on the available data and in-depth research on the Muslim population in every country in the world, the most accurate number of Muslims in the world this year (2009) is estimated to reach 1.73 billion and by 2010 it is projected to further increase to 1.85 billion. Figure 1 presents the total global population as well as the Muslim Population in 2005 and 2009, as well as the projection for 2010.

Size of the Global Halal Food Market

In general, the global market size of the food industry – based on consumption/ expenditure calculation – amounted to USD3,842.6 billion in 2004. This figure rose to USD3,872.8 billion in 2005 and increased further to USD3,992.2 billion in 2009, and is projected to rise to USD4,021.3 billion in 2010. For the global Halal food market, the estimated market size – also based on consumption/ expenditure – reached USD587.2 billion in 2004, rose to USD596.1 billion in 2005 and further increased to USD632.4 billion in 2009. In 2010, the size of the global Halal food market is projected to continue increasing to reach USD641.5 billion (Figure 2). Compared to the global food market size, the current Halal food market is still relatively small, but the positive

implication is: the future growth potential is strong. While Muslims made about 28 per cent of the total global population, the percentage of Halal food to the global food market is smaller, estimated at 16 per cent only. This is mostly due to the fact that, on average, Muslims have lower purchasing and spending power on food products. The location of Muslims, who mainly live in developing/ low income countries such as Asia and Africa also contribute to this issue. The estimated size of the Halal food market between 2004 and 2010 is depicted in Figure 3:

Breakdown of the Global Halal Food Market

To understand the development of an industry, proper calculation of the market size is imperative; the same for the global Halal industry. Looking back at previous data, the figure quoted for the last five years, almost always refer to USD580 billion, which literally means that the industry is stagnant with no growth recorded. Therefore, this article aims to provide the most accurate data on the size of the global Halal food market. In general, regional breakdown of the size of the global Halal food market is as shown in Table 1. Out of the total size of USD634.5 billion in 2009 Asian countries still represent the largest market for Halal food products. However, most Asian countries still consume basic and non-tradable products, such as primary products where international trade on these products are very low. It is only in the Middle Eastern market, specifically in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where the trade potential remains high. Total size of the Halal food market reached USD43.8 billion in all the six GCC member countries. With more than 90 per cent of the total food consumption imported, market potential

Figure 1 : GLOBAL & MUSLIM POPULATION; 2005 – 2010

Source: Calculated based on data from World Bank ICR; UN Population Database, other Muslim Population database, and internal research

It is only in the Middle Eastern market, specifically in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where the trade potential remains high. Total size of the Halal food market reached USD43.8 billion in all the six GCC member countries. Figure 2 : WORLD AND HALAL FOOD MARKET SIZE; 2004 - 2010

Source: Calculated based on data from World Bank ICR; UN Population Database, other Muslim Population database, and internal research

Figure 3

: THE ESTIMATED GLOBAL HALAL FOOD MARKET SIZE; 2004 – 2010

THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

Table 1 : REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF THE ESTIMATED SIZE OF THE GLOBAL HALAL FOOD MARKET, 2004-2010

Region/ Year Global Halal Food Size (USD ‘000,000)

2004

2005

2009

2010 (p)

587.2

596.1

634.5

641.5

1. Africa 2. Asian Countries - GCC Countries - Indonesia - China - India - Malaysia 3. European Countries - France - Russian Federation - United Kingdom 4. Australia/ Oceania 5. American Countries - USA - Canada

136.9 369.6 38.4 72.9 18.5 21.8 6.6 64.3 16.4 20.7 3.4 1.1 15.3 12.3 1.4

139.5 375.8 39.5 73.9 18.9 22.1 6.9 64.4 16.5 20.8 3.5 1.1 15.5 12.5 1.5

150.3 400.1 43.8 77.6 20.8 23.6 8.2 66.6 17.4 21.7 4.1 1.5 16.1 12.9 1.8

153.4 406.1 44.7 78.5 21.2 24.0 8.4 67.0 17.6 21.9 4.2 1.6 16.2 13.1 1.9

Source: Calculated based on data from World Bank ICR; UN Population Database, other Muslim Population database, and internal research; (p) projected

Most Halal products in the Middle East failed due to poor packaging, inconsistent supply and lack of branding exercise. n the GCC countries is quite high and it is accessible for international trade. Based on the data, the size of Halal food market in Europe is surprisingly high while the number of Muslims s only slightly higher than 50 million. The current size of Halal food market in all of the European countries in total is estimated to reach USD66.5 billion and projected to rise to USD67.0 billion in 2010. The higher purchasing power of European Muslims and the growing number of educated Muslims in the abour market have resulted n a market where the growth of Halal food consumption s strong while the trade potential is rapidly increasing. Russia, with about 20 to 25 million Muslims, has the largest Halal food market size, which s estimated to reach USD21.7 billion. However, with much higher income per capita and purchasing power, France with only about 7 million Muslims has a total market size of USD17.4 billion. About half of 38 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

this market is located in areas surrounding Paris, where the Muslim population can be as high as 18 per cent of the total population. While in the past, Halal food products can only be found in small grocery stores where the Muslim population is concentrated, now it can be found in mainstream supermarkets, such as Carrefour and Groupe de’ Casino.

Global Market Assestment

While the value of Halal food market is high, it does not in any way mean that it is a ready market. Some factors must be taken into account. Without this proper understanding, the Halal food market will only be a ‘word of mouth’. First, is the fact that most of these countries still rely on non-tradable food products that are largely supplied domestically. Second, in the case of high tradable products, such as in the GCC countries, reliance on the Halal status alone simply cannot work. Halal

products are already becoming mainstream products. Being Halal is necessary, but not a sufficient condition to win the competition. Third, as Halal products are universal products, the packaging and labelling must represent world-class standard. Most Halal products in the Middle East failed due to poor packaging, inconsistent supply and lack of branding exercise. Brand awareness and loyalty must be built gradually and it cannot be achieved in a day. But when it is gained, the pay-offs will be great. Fourth, Halal markets are not similar markets everywhere. Each is a fragmented market by ethnicity, location, income and a few other determinants. Therefore, a one-size-fitsall strategy simply cannot work. Product adaptability in each target market needs to be considered seriously. As with the case of other food products, consumer requirements may differ across the region. Fifth, in many countries,

logistic situations simply may deter and make the distribution to these countries very difficult. For example, exporting Halal food products to some of the Central Asian countries can only be achieved through multi-modal transport due to the unavailability of seaports, which inevitably adds costs. Thus, integration of production and logistics into an efficient supply chain network has to be considered. Sixth, total integrity in the Halal supply chain must be preserved. Once consumers lose confidence in the status of Halal, no one will buy. The case of Ajinomoto MSG product in Indonesia about a decade ago is a stern reminder. Thus, it is important to get the Halal certificate from the most reputable certification body and ensure that preserving Halal status is not a game of cat and mouse.

Summary

The global Halal food market is growing from about USD587.2 billion in 2004 to USD634.5 billion in 2009 and projected to reach USD641.5 billion by 2010. While this growth can be considered high, compared to the global food consumption of USD3,992.2 billion, Halal food consumption is still relatively small (lower than the percentage of Muslim population in the world), which means that it needs intensive and extensive effort to become mainstream and as a universal food product. While having Halal status has increasingly become a necessity nowadays, it is not in any way a sufficient condition for success. Halal is only part of the ingredients for success. Understanding the nature of each market, product attractiveness, product adaptability, branding and marketing, are all important in determining success when penetrating hj into foreign markets.

HALAL MEAT IMPORTS IN

GCC COUNTRIES The GCC countries, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar, have among the highest economy and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita amongst other OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) member countries.

Table 1: Total Halal Meat Imports in GCC Countries; 1996 - 2007 Total Halal 1996 Meat Imports MT

USD ‘000

2000 MT

USD ‘000

2007 MT

USD ‘000

Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates

15,867 72,331 66,695 21,970 332,726

31,955 132,710 92,751 37,476 524,390

28,870 81,389 42,453 31,773 452,888

43,956 121,232 47,498 45,839 594,221

30,687 169,069 85,255 74,289 716,235

58,630 242,233 122,753 133,698 1,151,861

180,010

308,246

135,320

143,670

294,049

583,923

Total

691,595 1,127,528

774,693 996,416

1,371,591 2,293,098

Source: Calculated based on data from FAO and Trade Map/Intracen, and internal research.

Figure 1: Breakdown of Halal Meat Imports in GCC, by Country (in USD)

Source: Calculated based on data from FAO and Trade Map/Intracen, and internal research.

40 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

lmost all GCC countries rely on imported food products, unlike several Middle Eastern/OIC member countries which have higher levels of selfsufficiency for food products. The total consumption or market size of Halal food products in the GCC countries reached USD38.3 billion in 2004; continued to increase to USD43.8 billion in 2009, and is projected to reach USD44.9 billion in 2010. The self-sufficiency level is generally less than 10 per cent, except Saudi Arabia (40 per cent), which means total imported food can easily stand at USD30 to 35 billion annually. Interestingly, Halal certifications for these countries are only required for meat and meat-based products. Other processed food such as canned tuna, confectionary and dairy products are deemed already Halal at its source, therefore Halal certification/ logo is not required. The understanding and implementation of Halal status is far different compared to many South East Asian countries due to their cultural and demographic structures; this is what we call ‘polarisation’ issues. Nonetheless, the awareness that Halal is not only about meat and animal slaughtering is slowly emerging. The Dubai Municipality recently published a guideline in Halal production, and this is seen as a positive move towards unification of understanding and implementation of Halal concept across the region. SOURCES OF IMPORTED HALAL MEAT IN THE GCC REGION

Rapid economic growth, combined with the influx of expatriates/foreign workers, who make up 70 to 80 per cent of the total population, contribute to the growth of import of Halal meat products. Total imports of Halal meat and meat-based products in GCC countries rose from 691.6 thousand MT in 1996 to 774.7 thousand MT in 2000, and further increased to 1.37 million MT in 2007 (see Table 1). Between 1996 and 2000, imports increased in volume; however, declining commodity prices worldwide in 1998 to 2000 resulted in the lower import value. Since 2003, price increase of various commodities in the world resulted in the rise of import value of Halal meat into this region. Total import value worth USD1.1 billion in 1996 doubled to USD 2.3 billion in 2007. Saudi Arabia imported about half of the total GCC imports, while the UAE (population of just over 4 million), ranked second with 25.5 per cent share or USD583.9 million (see Figure 1). Import into Kuwait has increased rapidly since 2007, because Kuwait and Jordan were initially seen as the entry point for exports into Iraq. Hence, significant portions of Kuwait imports were re-exported into Iraq. Total poultry meat import, the most popular type of Halal meat imported by these countries, reached 1.02 million MT in 2007, representing about 74.2 per cent of the total Halal meat imports. In terms of value, however, poultry meat imports was only 62.5 per cent, due to the lower poultry meat price in the world market compared to bovine or ovine

GLOBAL HALAL UNITY IHI Alliance is an international non-profit organisation created to uphold the integrity of the Halal market concept in global trade through recognition, collaboration and membership. Our mission is to propagate the benefits of Halal and elevate it as the standard of choice. Through our strategic partnership with the Islamic Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI), we seek to assemble world class experts, leading industry figures and stakeholders across the whole industry supply chain to harmonise the global Halal industry. We invite companies, organisations and individuals to join as IHI Alliance members and be a part of an initiative to build a stronger and robust global Halal industry. For membership details including benefits, categories and fees, please log on to

www.ihialliance.org or email info@ihialliance.org

INTERNATIONAL HALAL INTEGRITY ALLIANCE LTD (LG05848)

16-2, JALAN 27/70A, DESA SRI HARTAMAS, 50480 KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA T +6 03 2300 1344 F +6 03 2300 1312 A PARTNER OF THE ISLAMIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (ICCI)

Total Halal meat imports in all GCC countries reached USD 2.37 billion in 2007 and are projected to reach USD 3.0 billion in 2010; with Brazil being the major supplier. meats. Import of frozen whole chicken is the largest, followed by frozen boneless chicken parts and processed poultry meat products. The local chicken meat processing plants in this region mostly utilise imported raw materials, such as boneless breast meat, before distributing the processed products in the ocal market. Price differences between imported and locally produced products can be as high as 40 to 50 per cent. In 2007, import of meat of bovine animals (beef, veal and buffalo meat) ranked second with about 218 thousand MT or approximately 15.9 per cent share; while the imported amount of meat of ovine animals (lamb, mutton and goat meat) reached about 135 thousand MT or 9.9 per cent of the total imports of Halal meat across the GCC countries (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: Types of Halal Meat Imported, 2007 (Total = 1.37 million MT)

Source: Calculated based on data from FAO and Trade Map/Intracen, and internal research.

Figure 3: Sources of Halal Meat Imports in GCC Countries, 2007 (USD)

SOURCES OF IMPORTED HALAL MEAT IN THE GCC REGION

In general, Brazil is the major source of Halal meat in all the GCC countries. The increase n production cost and the removal of export subsidy n European countries have strengthened Brazil’s position as a dominant supplier to this region. Currently, the GCC countries are among the most mportant export markets for Brazilian meat products. Brazil’s share of the total Halal meat imports reached 54 per cent with USD1.24 billion during 2007. India ranked second (as supplier of Halal meat into the GCC region) with USD246.1 million, where almost all were in the form of buffalo meat. Although Indian meat was banned in early 2000, this strong growth is by virtue of its competitively priced buffalo meat. Australia, which is quite strong in its export of Halal beef, ranked third with total export of USD 210.5 million (see Figure 3). 42 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

Source: Calculated based on data from FAO and Trade Map/Intracen, and internal research.

Figure 4: Sources of Imported Poultry Meat into GCC Countries, 2007

Source: Calculated based on data from FAO and Trade Map/Intracen, and internal research.

In terms of poultry meat, Brazil plays a much more dominant role, exporting about 80 per cent or USD1.08 billion worth of products out of the total USD1.37 billion import of Halal poultry meat in 2007; mainly through major companies such as Sadia, Perdigao and Frangosul.

Next to Brazil, several European countries, particularly France and Denmark, export about USD144.2 million, or approximately 10 per cent of the total Halal poultry meat imports into this region (see Figure 4).This proportion is far lower compared to the 1990’s when European countries

managed to secure dominant roles in export of poultry meat to GCC countries. With Europe’s rising production cost and the removal of export subsidy as part of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) reforms and the EU Commitment to the WTO (World Trade Organisation) agreement, leading European companies, such as Doux of France, decided to venture into Brazil by acquisition of Frangosul. Hence, a portion of Brazilian exports to GCC countries was done by this Frenchowned company in Brazil. Interviews with major importers in Dubai and Kuwait disclosed that prices of Brazilian chicken meat are relatively low compared to European and other suppliers. Being the world’s largest exporter of chicken meat, Brazil is able to maintain consistent supply of high quality, Halal-certified products at very competitive prices. SUMMARY

With low self-sufficiency level, the GCC countries are among the largest importers of Halal meat products in the world, as they rely on imported products to fulfil local demand. Presently, the GCC countries require Halal certificate only for meat and meat-based products, but with rising awareness, brought about by the case of Al Islami Foods with their ‘Real Halal’ concept, we may expect a gradual change of this polarisation of the concept and implementation of Halal. Total Halal meat imports in all GCC countries reached USD 2.37 billion in 2007 and are projected to reach USD 3.0 billion in 2010; with Brazil being the major supplier. Growing economies and increase in purchasing power, as well as local demand, should boost imports of Halal products in these countries hj in the foreseeable future.

Getting Lost in Global Translation

What are customers around the world saying about the new booming Middle Eastern brands? What are they reading in the brand-names? Which ones are they loving and talking abaout? Which ones can they pronounce, type, and remember easily? Are these new local brands leading the charge for global mindshare, creating presence of greatness, or are they seriously lost in global translation? Words By NASEEM JAVED

44 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

urrently, 99 per cent of mega Middle Eastern projects are being branded under Arabic-based names, which are mostly foreign to international audiences while some are projecting mixed messages due to translation, and impose very serious limitations to brand name appreciation, prolonging high costs in obtaining global mindshare. To appreciate this dilemma, unless you are fluent in Japanese, try to make sense out of a fancy scripted Japanese name with some deeply rooted cultural message with rich heritage.

For this reason, over half a century ago, the global image-savvy corporate Japan developed all major brand names based on international rules of translations, positive connotations and pronunciations which fitted mass global appeal, making the names easy to talk about, spell and remember. Contrary to belief, on global branding, America really provided the largest battleground for branding, as it was the Japanese that truly laid the systematic foundation on what makes globally accepted and universal name-identities fit enough to conquer global image. Decades ahead, Japan was on the forefront of creating global brands, like Toyota, Minolta,

of domestic brands. In order to truly benefit with these global intricacies and having a vision to acquiring universal name identities, one must bite the bullet first, and be open to a frank and candid boardroom level discussion in micro detail; a process demanding a commanding knowledge of global businessnaming procedures, corporate nomenclature and many other different skills unheard of in the traditional logocentric-slogan-happy branding process. After all, the prime objective of any brand name is to spread its wings and fly in expanding markets – something only possible when names are without extra luggage.

Sony, Pentax, Sharp, Panasonic, Canon and hundreds of other fivestar standard names, as names originating from Japanese language would have never allowed such global acceptance. Surprisingly today, China is caught in too many local language based name-brands that seriously inhibits internationalisation of the name-identity. This is very bad for a country that is now recognised as the world’s largest factory, and by now, would have easily claimed hundreds of globally popular names. India currently sits in the middle; being more open to non-local languagenaming, it is now on its way to becoming the next global powerhouse

A FOR ARABIC NAMING Currently, in the Middle East, the traditional long branding process ends in an Arabic name, often starting with the letter “A”, a most intricate logo with colourful schemes, something extremely difficult to appreciate or decipher on the global markets. Any assembly of the top 50 names and their logos would clearly spill out the glob al challenges facing this process. Does this now mean that we should abandon Arabic words or start discussing prospects for depending on the letters “B” or “C”? Not at all. It means we should be aware that the alphabet of each language has hidden characters, strengths, weaknesses and related trends; it is not a simple question of the cut-and-paste solution of inserting letters into famous or already existing name brands.

Naming from the English dictionary has also been a common problem in the West decades ago. At one time, there were hundreds of companies in the USA called Dynamic, Quantum, Prism or Rainbow, as they sounded so powerful and fresh, but eventually died out due to worldwide name confusions. Moreover, global e-commerce and the use of digital branding for domain names clearly points to a serious need for highly-specialised skills. It is also very important to note that despite the seeming dominance of English, there are some 2,700 different languages with 8,000 dialects around the world. Altogether, there are 12 important language families with 50 lesser ones. Indo-European is the largest family in which English is the most important category. Based on usage by population, the following is a list of major languages in descending order: Chinese, English, Hindustani, Russian, Spanish, Indonesian, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Bengali, Mali, and Italian. “Nay” is yes to Greeks. The American “yeah” means “no” to the Japanese. A simple laugh -- “ha, ha, ha” -- means “mother” in Japanese, while “Ohio” means good morning. In Russia, “looks” means “opinion” and “socks” means “juice.” In France, a simple sign of “sale” means “dirty.” To the British, long distance is a “trunk,” sister a “nurse” and elevator a “lift”. The Chinese word “mai” said in a certain style means to “buy” and in another style to “sell.” When enunciated together, “mai mai” means “business.” The simplicity turns

into complex marketing challenges. Global understandings of these issues are pre-requisite in achieving a globally acceptable name-identity. RECOMMENDATIONS... We all better be wary of language issues; customers are no longer simply local to your streets; they are scattered all over the globe, local to their own streets, yet still somehow connected together. The next branding challenge for the Middle East is to acquire a deeper understanding of universal image and identity management. Best, conduct a highly professional third-partynomenclature-audit; businesses convinced that that they have the best and well known name-identity are often surrounded by their own people, current customer base, and current markets. The real challenge is to measure the unknown customer base at large, new and untapped territories and unheard of connotations and language issues, and where the name is either being rejected or taken as ‘too confusingly difficult’, therefore, not worthy to be remembered at all. If the ultimate goal is to acquire globally recognised name-identities, then name personalities are only good when they are liked and understood by the global audience. So why stay lost in hj global translations? Note: Naseem Javed is recognised as globally renowned on Corporate Image and Global Cyber-Branding. Currently, he is on a lecture tour on global cyber-brands based on ICANN and new GLTD platforms. Naseem is currently developing advance technology to create mega global brands. Naseem can be reached at nj@njabc.com.

THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

fast track | EUROPE

Towards cruelty-free cosmetics THE HALAL JOURNAL interviews Dr Mah Hussain-Gambles, founder of Saaf Pure Skincare (a UK-based eco-ethical skincare range, which is both Organic and Halal certified) about her views on the recent European Union (EU) ban on animal testing on cosmetics and the role of Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS). “I wholeheartedly welcome the recent EU ban on animal testing on cosmetics and hope that the rest of the world follows. We at Saaf are very proud to display the ‘Leaping Bunny’ logo on all of our packaging and signing up to HCS,” said Dr. Mah. The BUAV is the UK’s leading organisation peacefully campaigning to end cosmetics testing on animals across the world. Working with corporate partners, international governments and regulators worldwide, the BUAV uses scientific and legislative expertise to create change. The BUAV operates the HCS symbolised by the globally recognised ‘Rabbit and Stars’ (‘Leaping Bunny’) logo. Companies sign up to the HCS to demonstrate that animal testing has been removed from their supply chain for cosmetic products and ingredients. “With my background strongly rooted in science and pharmacology, it took me years to realise that testing cosmetic ingredients on animals is not only cruel, but also obsolete and archaic. With recent developments in computer modelling, human cell lines and other non-animal alternatives developed by scientists worldwide, it also makes little commercial sense to use animal for testing cosmetics when the alternative tests can be far cheaper,” Dr.

46 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

“I am doing this by drawing parallels between green policies in the West and Halal principles, as laid out in the Quran fourteen hundred years ago. My message seems to be receiving much global interest and I speak frequently on the topic: ‘Halal, the new eco-ethical model’.

Mah affirmed. In the EU, animal testing for cosmetics is not required by law, and animal testing for both cosmetics ingredients and finished products is banned (in the UK) since 1997. A finished products ban has been in place in the EU since 11 September 2004. Ingredients, however, can continue to be animaltested in the EU until 11 March 2009 when a ban on both testing and sale of cosmetic ingredients comes into force within the EU. There are however, three types of animal tests which are exempted from the sales or ‘marketing’ ban, because there is an extended deadline (until 11 March 2013 at the latest) to allow alternative testing methods to be validated. Wherever a validated non-animal alternative testing method exists, the animal equivalent cannot be used. Given the extended deadline for full implementation of the ban, it is therefore likely that most cosmetic brands contain animal-tested ingredients

and even where non-animal testing claims are made; unless a company signs up to the HCS and adopts and rigorously polices a ‘fixed cut-off date’ (FCOD), it is impossible to tell whether a claim carries much meaning. This reinforces the continued need for the HCS as a genuine cruelty-free standard. Dr Mah’s passion in crueltyfree cosmetics is part of her bigger vision of spreading the eco-ethical business model (and green beauty products) to the world. “I am doing this by drawing parallels between green policies in the West and Halal principles, as laid out in the Quran fourteen hundred years ago. My message seems to be receiving much global interest and I speak frequently on the topic: ‘Halal, the new ecoethical model’. The principles of Halal, as originally laid out in the Quran, include Corporate Social Responsibility, recycling, not harming the human body, caring for the environment and not being cruel to animals. These are ethics that I believe

can benefit all consumers and lead the industry in the right direction,” said Dr Mah. Islam is a deeply compassionate religion, especially regarding animal welfare. Numerous verses in the Holy Quran refer to the sanctity of animal life and the equal rights of an animal to have a peaceful life. “All creatures are like a family (Ayal) of God; and He loves the most those who are the most beneficent to His family,” affirmed Dr Mah. The Prophet Muhammad’s (p.b.u.h.) kindness to animals was remarkable for the social context of his upbringing. The historian Montgomery Watt cites an instance of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) posting sentries to ensure that a female dog with newborn puppies was not disturbed by his army travelling to Mecca in the year 630. “There is no man who kills [even] a sparrow or anything smaller...but Allah will question him about it [on the judgement day],” and “Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself.” Dr Mah emphasised, “The Quran clearly outlines our responsibilities towards the animal kingdom. Testing cosmetics and ingredients on animals is inhumane; and I speak from personal experience in my role as a pharmacologist many years ago. For the sake of personal vanity, do we really want the blood of innocent animals on our conscience?” To view articles by Dr. Mah Hussain-Gambles, visit www. saafpureskincare.com. For more information on HCS, visit www. gocrueltyfree.org. For more information on BUAV, visit www. buav.org

fast track | EUROPE

British “peace ambassador” to visit turbulent Pakistan BY JUNAID BHATTI

A RECENTLYAPPOINTED “AMBASSADOR for Peace” from the UK made an official visit to Pakistan in March this year. The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Chauhdry Abdul Rashid1, visited the troubled Asian Republic at a time of heightened political tensions. The official tour included visits to the Punjab and Azad Kashmir provinces, where the Lord Mayor met with high-ranking dignitaries and spoke at events promoting greater understanding of British culture and commerce. The Lord Mayor has been heavily involved in recent international efforts by the Foreign Office to promote a better understanding of Muslim life in Britain. The “I am British, I am Muslim” campaign2 is currently advertising on Pakistani TV, radio, print media and billboards in order to demonstrate the breadth of success that has been achieved by Muslims in the UK. Councillor Abdul Rashid is one

Halal certified

of ten British Muslims profiled by the campaign, which also includes contributions from Government Minister, Sadiq Khan MP, and professional cricketer, Moeen Ali. The Lord Mayor, who was born in Azad Kashmir, explained his enthusiasm for the journey to his motherland: “My visit will promote trade links between two nations which have so much shared history. I will also be working hard to overcome commonly-held misconceptions about what it

means to be a British Muslim. Showing that Muslims make an invaluable contribution to the social, cultural and economic well-being of the UK – and are recognised for this – will go a long way towards countering the disinformation peddled by extremists to recruit young people to their immoral cause.” The nine-week “I am Muslim. I am British” campaign is the brainchild of Midlandsbased community cohesion campaigner Dr. Kurshid Ahmed, who added: “There is a belief in some parts of the Muslim world that the West is ‘anti-Muslim, anti-Islam’, but this could not be further from the truth. This project is about confronting these misconceptions, by communication through TV, radio, in the press and, most importantly, face-to-face.” The Lord Mayor’s official visit began on the 19th of March 2009, and lasted for two weeks. The globe-trotting Civic Head of the UK’s largest local authority recently visited China, as part of an effort to

raise Chinese awareness of the trade opportunities offered by his home-town. His visit also served to highlight the social and economic contribution that Chinese immigrants have made to the UK as a whole, and within Birmingham in particular. Birmingham is the UK’s most culturally-diverse city, and more than 300,000 of its citizens can trace their roots back to the Indian sub-continent. The Lord Mayor was recently appointed as an “Ambassador for Peace” by the Universal Peace Federation3 – an UN-associated humanitarian organisation. During his tenure, he has also made a particular effort to recognise and publicise the valuable service of Britain’s armed forces personnel. 1 Further information about The Lord Mayor of Birmingham is available at www.lordmayor.org. 2 Further information about the “I am Muslim, I am British.” campaign can be found at www.imib.org.uk 3 Further information about the Universal Peace Federation is available at www.upf.org.

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CCM AND HALAL: TEN YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG

hemical Company of Malaysia Berhad (CCM) marks a significant milestone this year in celebrating a decade of commitment to Halal initiatives, providing consumers with high quality Halal products that have been a part of their daily lives. Years ago, many people thought that Halal only applied to food and beverages. However, consumer awareness is now increasing; inclined towards Halal being part of their everyday lifestyle and wanted a better quality of life with a greater peace of mind by choosing Halal products, beyond food and beverages. As consumers became more discerning, it presented opportunities for CCM to make Halal products available in the market as well as to perform the fardh kifayah (collective obligation/duty). As Malaysia’s leading

48 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

pharmaceutical player, CCM is proud to be the first to have its range of health supplements under the brands CHAMPS, Flavettes, Proviton and Naturalle certified Halal in 1999. This effort enables CCM to strengthen its position as a trusted and reputable company in the industry locally and globally. The assurance of the renowned ‘Halal Malaysia’ certification manifests the high safety, efficacy, quality, and hygiene aspects of CCM’s products and provides confidence to all consumers, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to opt for its products. CCM Pharmaceuticals Division is the largest GMPPharmaceutical1 certified manufacturer in Malaysia and has now an expanded range of Halal certified products of more than 100, including overthe-counter (OTC) products such as its O-Fresh antiseptic mouthwash range and Sloan’s range of analgesic oil and cream. The acquisitions of

Duopharma Biotech Bhd and the assets and brands of Malayan Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd over the past years have also allowed CCM to provide a wider range of health supplements and healthcare products under the brands Donna, Natberry, Chewies, and many others. CCM adopts similar stringent policies and procedures when it comes to manufacturing these newly acquired products so that these too are certified Halal. CCM’s range of health supplements is well received by consumers. In fact, CHAMPS – its brand for children’s multivitamins, has been voted as the ‘Consumer Choice’ children’s vitamins for many years and has also won the ‘Super Brand Award’ by Parent Magazine in Hong Kong on three occasions. In addition, Proviton – CCM’s brand for one-a-day multivitamins and minerals with Panax Ginseng IDB extract, was awarded with Malaysia’s Ministry

of International Trade and Industry (MITI) ‘Industry Excellence Award – Pioneer in Research of Excellent Product Quality’ in 1999. CCM’s medications for gastrointestinal and cardiovascular conditions – Omesec and Vascor, respectively, are blockbusters in both domestic and export markets. Omesec also won the MITI Industry Excellence Award for ‘Best Innovative Product’ in 2004. Both medicines have successfully undergone Bioequivalent (BE) studies which affirmed that the chemical profile of these products are similar to that of the more expensive imported medicines. The Halal principles are applied consistently throughout the CCM Group of Companies that is including the Chemicals and Fertilisers Divisions. CCM Chemicals Division obtained Malaysia’s Halal certification in 2004 for its manufactured products – liquid chlorine, sodium

CCM will continue to extend the range of Halal alternative products by launching new products, especially through CCM Pharmaceuticals Division which currently commands 21 per cent of the local generic pharmaceutical market worth RM1.1 billion at present.

hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, polyaluminium chloride (PAC), and ferric chloride. It was the first ISO2 certified chemical manufacturer to obtain such certification. These products are supplied to numerous industries like water treatment, oleochemicals (including edible oil), and food and beverages in Malaysia and the international market. Although Halal certification is currently not extended to fertiliser products, CCM Fertilisers Division’s products (which are mineral based) comply with the Halal standards of hygiene and quality, and are safe for use as plant nutrients. With growing interest in the development of other Halal sectors besides food and beverages, Halal will provide the way forward for CCM to further strengthen its leading role in chosen business sectors. The commitment to CCM’s Halal initiatives is undertaken through the CCM Halal Council,

with its Group Managing Director as the Chairman of the Council and Muslim senior managers from each of CCM’s Divisions being members of this Council. The Council’s main focus is to strategise, plan, control, develop policies/guidelines, and provide leadership to drive, strengthen and promote CCM’s Halal Initiatives. Each Division has its own Halal Committee. The main task of these Committees is to ensure that all operational activities adhere to the requirements of authorised Islamic certification bodies and other related regulatory bodies consistently. CCM will continue to extend the range of Halal alternative products by launching new products, especially through CCM Pharmaceuticals Division which currently commands 21 per cent of the local generic pharmaceutical market worth RM1.1 billion at present. At the same time, CCM also recognises the challenges

that come with the expanding Halal industry, amongst which are the different regulatory requirements in registering products in various countries. Nevertheless, CCM is serious in driving its Halal initiatives and making available Halal products to consumers worldwide. Hence, it intends to play a prominent role in developing the Malaysian Standards (MS) for Halal for its various manufactured products, collaborating closely with key Halal industry organisations such as HDC (Halal Industry Development Corporation), JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia), the Department of Standards Malaysia, SIRIM, the World Halal Forum, and the International Halal Integrity (IHI) Alliance. CCM aspires to make available Halal products to everyone in Malaysia and the world. Thus, it looks forward to fill in the gaps for these products in the growing

markets of ASEAN and the OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) countries, as well as countries with large Muslim populations such as China and Russia. CCM has a worldwide presence in over 30 countries with regional offices in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. The export sales of CCM Pharmaceuticals Division represent 15 per cent of its annual turnover with sales to Islamic countries contributing 20 per cent of total export turnover and had charted continuous growth in 2008. The Division’s total export is expected to contribute 40 per cent of its annual turnover in the next six years. Being the first in its respective industries to obtain the renowned ‘Halal Malaysia’ certification, and having successfully renewed the certification over the past 10 years, CCM is committed to leading the initiatives in providing Halal pharmaceutical products and ensuring products supplied by the Chemicals and Fertilisers Divisions are also Halal-compliant. With the CCM Halal Policy as the guiding principle, together with strong leadership, guidance from the CCM Halal Council, full commitment from each Division’s Halal Committee, and its 1,800 employees, CCM is focused towards strengthening its Halal integrity, together with continuous capacity building and intensive marketing activities to become the ‘Halal Supplier of Choice’ in both the Malaysian and international markets. (Footnotes) 1

GMP – Pharmaceutical:

Good Manufacturing Practice – Pharmaceutical facilities 2

ISO : International Organisation

for Standardisation THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

fast track | EUROPE

Muslims and Halal in Serbia

It is surprising that there are Muslims in Serbia at all; let alone that there is a Halal Certiﬁcation Agency. Out of 600,000 Muslims in Serbia, 200,000 are in the capital, Belgrade; and the Halal Agency there is the oldest of its kind in the Balkan area.

Mustafa Yusufspahic, Imam in Belgrade and CEO of Halal Agency Serbia

HALAL AS A REALITY, in the former Yugoslavia, has existed from the beginning of the 1970’s. The wellorganised Islamic communities in the republics (Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina), which constituted former Yugoslavia, had put their efforts and financial means in building a strong Islamic centre in Sarajevo, the present capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. To establish Halal standards, especially in the meat industry, the main and only authority issuing Halal

50 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

certificates in the former Yugoslavia was Belgrade’s Mufti, H. Hamdija ef. Jusufspahic, from the Islamic Community of Serbia. In the last 38 years, many auditors and controllers were educated; and under the Islamic Community of Belgrade, controlled the slaughterhouses across the former Yugoslavia, from Slovenia to Macedonia. Although Muslims faced hard times under the communist regime, the Heads of the Islamic Community succeeded to preserve and strengthen the community, and build thousands of mosques in

Bosnia, Macedonia and Serbia. From 1970 to 1990, thousands of tonnes of fresh meat, with Halal Certification by Belgrade’s Mufti, were exported from Yugoslavia to Islamic countries. GENEX, the biggest state firm in the entire region of the Balkans, and one of the greatest meat exporters in Europe, had signed contracts with the Islamic Community of Serbia for control and issuing of Halal certification for the contingents of meat prepared for export. According to the contract, 20,000 tonnes of only fresh young beef would be exported every year. Unfortunately, the disintegration of former Yugoslavia to the six republics – which caused the war, destruction and great suffering – also disintegrated the integral Islamic community. Now, every state has its own autonomous Islamic Community to deal with the problems of their Muslim residents. In the Republic of Serbia, by the Law of Religious Communities, the Islamic Community could not establish a Halal Certification agency. Only in 2005, was the Halal Agency Serbia established, when a new law was issued, which gave them a right to establish their agencies. The Islamic Community of Serbia appointed Mustafa Jusufspahic – a perennial Imam in Belgrade, a graduate of theology at Al Azhar University of Egypt, and business management at British Council – as its Director. Until 2005, the Islamic Community in Belgrade based its work in the Halal area concentrating on the meat industry; but later entered other sectors, such

as chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. Since 2009, the Halal Agency of Belgrade, officially recognised as the main authority for Halal Certification in Serbia, has also entered the Serbian Agricultural and Veterinary Faculties with the special new subject: ‘Halal Farms’. A contract was signed with the best laboratory in the region, the CIN Centre for Foods Examination, which analyses products and issue certificates. The state of Serbia also began funding producers who implement Halal standards in their production, with subventions of up to 50 per cent of the values (for costs getting Halal certified). Presently, approximately 30 producers in the meat industry have implemented the Halal standard; and 25 firms have started the implementation process. Halal stalls will also be open in some of the bigger shopping malls in Serbia this year. Other initiatives in the pipeline, to be realised by September 2010: • Contracts signed with agencies for organic nutrition; • Creation of HalalOrganic Standards; • Development of an Institute for Halal, Kosher, NonMeat and Organic foods. Halal Agency Serbia CEO, Mustafa Yusufspahic, said that they are proud of their work and for having participated in the global Halal industry from its very beginning; and are glad that brothers from the International Halal Integrity (IHI) Alliance have recognised their work.

CONGRATULATIONS to the

Halal Forum for a

IOWA-U.S.A

Successful 2009 Program

Islamic Services of America was originally established in 1975 as an Educational Foundation. I.S.A. was the first official North American accredited certifier with recognition in Southeast Asia, Middle East and more than 60 Islamic markets. In 1981, I.S.A. became the first U.S.A. Malaysian approved Halal certifier by Pusat Islam of Malaysia. I.S.A. has continuously maintained JAKIM’s Halal approval since 1981. I.S.A.’s recogniton in the early 80’s was then followed by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Indonesia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the G.C.C. I.S.A. is one of the few official certifiers for the U.A.E. I.S.A. has maintained the highest level of Halal standards and integrity, without compromising Islamic values or commercializing Halal certification. The Halal standards implemented by JAKIM and DVS Malaysia are followed by I.S.A. These clear guidelines have allowed I.S.A.’s Halal Certification of the Midamar Quality Halal products to place Midamar in the highest global position of respect for a commitment to Halal Quality, Innovation, Integrity and Professionalism.

I.S.A.

Islamic Services of America P.O. Box 521 Phone: 319-362-0480 • Fax: 319-366-4369 Email: islamicservices@isaiowa.org Website: www.isaiowa.org

I- Integrity S- Service A- Authenticity I.S.A. - 34 Years of Commitment and Integrity to Community and Social Services

Thank You with appreciation MIDAMAR

was honored to have received the past International

BEST HALAL PRODUCT AWARD With continued support and cooperation we look forward to Halal Forum 2010

fast track | ASIA

Hot-Can: New self-heating Halal beverage can

HOT-CAN SDN BHD has created a revolutionary smart self-heating packaging system. By combining its own patented design and technology with state of the art manufacturing, Hot-Can delivers a new and affordable way to drink hot Halal beverages on the go, which are also eco-friendly. Hot-Can is a pioneer in the smart packaging arena and is setting new standards for quality, performance, speed and pricing of self-heating beverages in the global Halal market. The special double chambered aluminium can contains the beverage in the outer chamber and holds water and calcium oxide (quick lime) separately in the inner chamber. When the button at the bottom of the can is pressed, the water mixes with the quicklime, starting an exothermic reaction that heats the contents of the outer chamber in less than three minutes by 50-55°C to give you a piping hot drink. With a global market of over 200 billion beverage cans sold annually and over 500 billion hot drinks consumed annually, a small market share equates to greater demand than possible supply. Also, due to its patented technology and cost-effective Malaysian manufacturing, Hot-Can is strategically

54 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

Hot-Can Sdn Bhd has chosen to launch its revolutionary product with only Halal ingredients. This demonstrates the huge influence of the Halal market on emerging technologies. placed to exploit the demand for self-heating cans. Hot-Can also has a positive impact on the global environment by way of energy savings: each can heats the perfect cup of coffee in less than three minutes, whilst using up to 65 per cent less energy than a standard kettle

in the process. Furthermore, the can body is constructed from aluminium, which can be recycled many times over without losing any of its strength or quality. The aluminium can is the world’s most recycled packaging container, which saves up to 95 per cent of the energy

required to make aluminium from its raw materials. Moreover, this self-heating can, unlike less efficient products available, produces only natural by-products: water and calcium carbonate, the very same mineral that constitutes natural coral reefs. Calcium carbonate is also widely used in environmental protection applications such as drinking water treatment and the neutralisation of acid rain in forests and lakes. Hot-Can was developed in Malaysia by Dato’ Kenneth Kolb, CEO of Hot-Can Malaysia Sdn Bhd, and is manufactured in Kuala Lumpur. Hot-Can Sdn Bhd has spent RM20 million and five years developing the hottest product on the planet. Hot-Can Sdn Bhd has chosen to launch its revolutionary product with only Halal ingredients. This demonstrates the huge influence of the Halal market on emerging technologies. Hot-Can is not only the first Halal self-heating container; it is the only Halal self-heating container in the world. “We are Halal compliant in every aspect, from the self-heating container to the ingredients used in the beverage mix; even the water we use is Halal,” said Dato’ Kenneth Kolb. Beverages currently available include café latte, hot chocolate, mocha and hot tea. Hot-Can Sdn Bhd project sales of over one billion cans per annum in the Halal market alone, and recently signed an exclusive distribution agreement for Turkey, the largest Muslim market in Europe. Hot-Can continues to develop innovative new products such as the selfheating baby formula smart packaging with built-in infant teat for parents on the go and a range of Halal soups.

Congratulation

TO WINNERS OF THE HALAL JOURNAL AWARDS

2006 - 2008

THE HALAL JOURNAL AWARDS 2006

THE HALAL JOURNAL AWARDS 2007

THE HALAL JOURNAL AWARDS 2008

Best Halal Product Midamar Corporation, USA

Best Halal Product Crescent Foods Inc. (USA)

Best Halal Product Nitta Casings Inc., USA

Best Creative Marketing Campaign Al Islami Foods, Dubai

Best Creative Marketing Campaign Maple Lodge Farms, Canada

Best Creative Marketing Campaign Marhaba Halal Food B.V, the Netherlands

Best Islamic Financial Service or Product Microlink Systems Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Best Islamic Financial Service or Product International Centre of Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF)

Best Islamic Financial Service or Product Kuwait Finance House (Malaysia) Berhad (KFHMB)

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Nestle (Malaysia) Berhad

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Carrefour Malaysia

Travel & Hospitality Tabung Haji Travel & Services Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Travel & Hospitality Zabihah.com, USA

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Johor Corporation, Malaysia Travel & Hospitality LSG Skychefs-Brahim’s, Malaysia Best Halal Related Service Provider Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) Best Innovation in the Halal Industry Halal Science Centre, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand Outstanding Personal Achievement in the Halal Industry Dato’ Jamaluddin Abdul Kadir, Founder and CEO of Prima Agri-Products Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Best Halal Related Service Provider i. The Islamic Food & Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) ii. MISC Integrated Logistics Sdn Bhd Best Innovation in the Halal Industry Novel Molecular Kit for the Detection of Slaughtered or Killed Meat by Associate Professor Dr. Adl-El Aziem Farouk Gad, IIUM Outstanding Personal Achievement in the Halal Industry Dato’ Hj. Mustafa Abdul Rahman, Director General of JAKIM (2007)

from

Best Halal Related Service Provider CIMB Private Equity and Venture Capital Malaysia Best Innovation in the Halal Industry i. Darabif Meat Company, Malaysia ii.Comgroup Prima, Malaysia Outstanding Personal Achievement in the Halal Industry Dr Habib M’Nasria, Quality Assurance of McDonald’s Middle East

fast track | ASIA

CCM’s new pharmaceuticals R&D centre CHEMICAL COMPANY OF MALAYSIA BERHAD (CCM) recently launched Innovax Sdn Bhd – the Group’s RM10 million hi-tech research and development (R&D) centre in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia – to facilitate the manufacturing of new and innovative pharmaceutical products. CCM Berhad chairman, Tan Sri Ab. Rahman Omar, officiated the launch of the 63,000 sq ft facility, which is the largest in Malaysia in terms of built-up, and houses four main departments and managing three new product pipelines. Innovax has targeted almost 35 new generic products in its product pipeline until 2015 and they are currently in various stages of research and development and approval processes. The R&D centre is well-equipped with analytical, formulation and quality laboratories, and CCM plans to purchase up to RM2 million worth of more advanced pharmaceutical and analytical equipment within 2010. CCM Bhd Group Managing Director, Dato’ Dr Mohd Hashim

Tajudin, said the new R&D centre had almost doubled the Group’s new product development capacity (now with an annual capacity of 24-product-slots) and had a very strong track record with up to 90 per cent success rate in terms of product approval. “R&D is the backbone of the pharmaceutical industry and the Group’s investment in this facility recognises the significance of cutting edge capability to progress and stay ahead of the competition in this fast growing sector. The local pharmaceutical market is expected to grow to RM4.2 billion this year and was poised to expand at an annual rate of 10 per cent,” he added. Dato’ Dr Mohd Hashim also added that the current economic downturn would increase the demand for generic medicines which were much more affordable than branded ones. “CCM currently commands 21 per cent of the local generic drugs market which is worth RM1.1 billion. We believe that the launch of the new R&D centre will significantly elevate

CCM Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Omar (right) officiating the launch ceremony. Looking on are (from left) Innovax Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Azizi Ayob; CCM Pharmaceuticals Division Director Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar; and Dato’ Dr. Mohd Hashim Tajudin.

our efforts in augmenting breakthrough technological advancements to develop innovative generic products. Furthermore, the Government is also giving its full support to generic drugs, as it plans to reduce rising healthcare costs during these hard times,” said Dato’ Dr Mohd Hashim. CCM Pharmaceuticals Division Director and Duopharma Biotech Berhad’s CEO, Leonard Ariff bin Abdul Shatar, said the R&D facility boasted a team of 30; 20 of which are scientists with specialist skills in various pharmaceutical disciplines.

“We are proud to be the only local pharmaceutical company in Malaysia that has embarked on the soft gel capsule technology, and slow-release and modified release products technology. We are confident that with our strengthened R&D capabilities, we will meet and exceed consumers’ expectations,” said Leonard. CCM is also a main player in the lucrative Halal and herbal pharmaceutical markets. The launch of the new R&D centre will intensify CCM’s efforts to drive their ambitions in these areas.

Halal certified: MISC Integrated Logistics storage and warehousing facilities in Pulau Indah MISC INTEGRATED LOGISTICS (MILS), the integrated logistics arm of MISC Bhd announces that their storage and warehousing facilities located at the MISC Logistics Hub (MLH) Free Commercial Zone (FCZ) in Pulau Indah, Port Klang, Malaysia, is certified Halal compliance by the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC). The certification is awarded based on the merits of hygiene and Shariah-compliant of both dry and cold storage ambient.

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The dry warehouse consists of 250,000 sq ft of size which can handle 23,000 pallets in capacity. Its functions are centralised storage for regional distribution, packaging and labelling, transhipment centre and sterilisation/ decontamination facilities that include two Ethylene Oxide (EtO) chambers, which are compliant to all major market requirements1. The cold storage facility is able to accommodate multiple temperature ranging from +18˚C to -25˚C. The

cold room is equipped with mobile racking solution with capacity of 8,500 pallet positions for frozen products, and 1,200 pallet positions for chilled products. This facility is designed to meet the international cold chain standard where product quality and safety during storage is assured. With this world class storage facility within FCZ, coupled with MISC’s Halal Express Service shipping route, Halal-certified products from various sources can be

consolidated and distributed to Halal markets in the world, making the MISC Group one of the few companies truly offering customers the entire value chain in Halal logistics. Potential customers and interested parties can find out more about MISC Integrated Logistics services at www.misclogistics.com. (Footnotes) 1 ISO 9001: 2000 Tuv Product Services GmBH; QSR Part 820 USFPA; EN ISO 13488:2003 Tuv Product Services GmBH; EN 550:1994, Tuv Product Services GmBH; AQIS Australia Quarantine and Inspection Services; JGMP Japanese Good Manufacturing Practice

fast track | AMERICAS

Obama: The 100-day mark

WHENEVER A NEW PRESIDENT is preparing to take office, talk turns to the ostentatious first 100 days. Barack Obama’s historic presidential run generated a level of excitement in America and across the world not witnessed in a long time. With the election won, the buzz continued, but the focus was now on the possibilities and perils of the opening moments of his administration. Obama

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took the helm of a country facing a long, daunting list of problems. With many observers citing historical analogues like Abraham Lincoln in 1861 or Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, we will discuss a short sobering implication of how Obama has fared so far in his first 100 days. Like many previous presidents, Obama has attempted to tamper expectations for his first 100 days in office, stating that he

should not be judged by his first hundred days: “The first hundred days is going to be important, but it is probably going to be the first thousand days that makes the difference.” Internal policy Due to the economic crisis, the President enacted a pay freeze for Senior White House Staff making more than USD100,000 per year. The action affected approximately 120 staffers and added up to

about a USD443,000 savings for the US government. In his first week, he also established a policy of producing a weekly Saturday morning video address available on Whitehouse.gov and YouTube, much like those released during his transition period. The first address had been viewed by 600,000 YouTube viewers by the next afternoon. The policy is likened to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s fireside chats and George W. Bush’s weekly radio addresses. The stimulus package passed in the House of Representatives on 28 January without a single Republican vote. Conservatives who have been supportive of Obama have come out against the plan questioning whether the USD825 billion package is well-designed. However, experts have noted that one of the largest components, USD140 billion earmarked for education, is well spent. Other economic measures include prohibition of bonuses in excess of onethird of total salary for any company receiving any money from the stimulus plan. The above stimulus package is now in jeopardy of threatening Obama’s economic calibre, as the American International Group (AIG)’s USD165 million bonus payout to seven AIG executives has taken centre stage. The government, having recently bailed out the financial giant, seems to be unable to stop the payout, even though figuratively, the US government owns over 80 per cent of AIG (thanks to the bailout). The AIG scandal has led to legislators, senators and the public to question the credibility of the new Obama cabinet, silently labelling them as economically impotent. The row is the worst

fast track | AMERICAS Obama has yet faced after riding out failures to fill key administration posts, and embarrassments such as the revelation that the US treasury secretary, Tim Geithner, had failed to pay his taxes. Obama’s economic policies seem to reside in bolstering the people’s confidence towards the economic downturn. This psychological exercise might have its merits, however, in a nation where the press is always looking for a piece of sensationalism on their leaders, the effort seems like it is doomed to failure. Some are even comparing Obama’s approach to the economy similar to his predecessor, George W. Bush’s, citing that both presidents will be using/used a national threat to bolster and maintain support for their cabinets.

FOREIGN POLICY Redeeming his Inaugural pledge to “pay any price, bear any burden, fly any distance to meet with our enemies,” Obama’s first major international milestone will be the upcoming G20 Summit in

Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Summit in April. Obama, so far, seems not to be a man to stick rude labels on his enemies, as Bush did. Iran and Syria are no longer rogue regimes; the “axis of evil” has been politically disbanded in the American foreign policy dialogues. The first big clue to Obama’s foreign policy may come in his treatment of Russia. A few months ago, it looked as if the NATO meeting in April would take place in France with Russia looming in its recently found military and economic might, strutting confidently right after the war with Georgia. However, Russia is now a casualty of the world recession and should naturally be a little bit more inclined towards diplomatic reconciliation. Russia is the key to controlling an ambitious Iran. Obama’s second major test would be his eventual meeting with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. Obama seems to be doing his best to take the tough human rights stance in preparation for the

meeting. However, having made Iranian talks “without precondition”, he might be left with little leverage to extract concessions, unless he secures support from Russia. This is the first time an American president has to meet with a holocaust denier. This important meeting has led to Israel feeling a bit insecure and will probably wind up in more cautious approaches from the Zionists. The Israeli Prime Minister publicly asked, “Why is the American President meeting with a leader who calls us ‘filthy bacteria’ and threatens to wipe us ‘off the map’?” America’s moderate Arab allies in the region might also feel betrayed, assuming that America is cutting a bilateral deal with Iran that accepts its nuclear ambitions, while leaving the Sunni powers out in the cold. Obama’s Oval Office speech to the nation on Iraq is initially more successful. As promised, he has ordered a phased, unconditional withdrawal of combat forces, beginning “not in six months or one year - now.” American

troops will no longer be embedded in Iraqi combat units or used to combat Iranian influence (all pledges made during his campaign). Many Americans cheer, but the next day, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Sunni allies might react with panic at another sign of American unsteadiness and retreat from the region. Armed groups of Sunni and Shiites within Iraq might probably start preparing for a resumption of sectarian conflict. Overall, for the number of promises and changes that is needed, one has to still be quite optimistic about President Obama. His energy and commitment to his pledges have not faltered. The only weakness he seems to have is inexperience, as he has to deal with an institution long grounded in political lobbying, right-wing fundamentalists, insecure isolationists and insatiable sensationalists, all of which reside in the mighty halls of the United States Congress.

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fast track | MIDDLE EAST

Al Jawhara: Promoting Islamic hospitality and Halal tourism BY ZAAHIRA MUHAMMAD

HOSPITALITY IS A COMMON feature that characterises Muslims around the world. It is one of the reasons why Muslims are often perceived as generous people. For most Muslims, hospitality lies in the heart of who they are. Guests are welcomed into the home and shown kindness regardless of whether they are relatives, friends, strangers or neighbours. This is basically an authentic Islamic way of life. The Islamic hospitality market is said to be currently growing rapidly in the Middle East as well as other destinations favoured by the Middle Eastern travellers. Muslim travellers are in favour of Halal tourism and have certain requirements that Shariahcompliant hotels respond to. Halal Tourism includes Islamic hospitality, Halal activities, Halal airlines, Halal food as well as Shariahcompliant hotels and resorts. As stated by Shamim Yusuf, S. S. Lootah Group Research and Development Manager (Hotel Division) in a paper compiled by the S. S. Lootah Group, The Real Sense of Shariah Hospitality Concept, “Shariah compliant hotels can be defined as hotels where services offered and financial transactions are based completely on Shariah principles. A broader definition is to manage hotel business based on Shariah compliance not only limited to serving Halal food and beverages, but to implement all parameters that have been designed for health, safety, environment and the benefits on economics of all mankind, regardless of race, faith or culture.” There have been significant growths in hotels and resorts in which the Islamic way of living are applied. Qiblah signs stuck on the ceiling

60 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

Hani Lashin, Group General Manager for Jawhara Group of Hotels and Apartments

of each room, prayer rugs provided in each room, and Halal menus at the hotel restaurants are considered authentically Islamic and most common in making a hotel Islamic or Shariah-compliant. Apart from that, making hotel premises an alcohol-free zone is another way of making a hotel Shariah-compliant. There are existing hotels that are already practicing these values, one of which is Al Jawhara Group of Hotels and Apartments. Al Jawhara Group of Hotels and Apartments is one of the few hotels which comply with the Shariah rules throughout its operations. The Al Jawhara Group are very proud of the fact that they are Shariah-compliant and has the key features of Islamic hotels which ultimately serve only Halal food, no alcohol sold or allowed in

Shamim Yusuf, S. S. Lootah Group Research and Development Manager (Hotel Division)

premises, and also provide unique facilities, for example, the ladies-only swimming pool, which would be very convenient for those who want to swim but at the same time adhere to Islamic teachings. For the Al Jawhara Group, incorporating and adhering to Islamic principles in all dealings is their core philosophy of the hospitality group. “When we talk in terms of services nowadays, the important issue is health and safety of one’s beloved; people irrespective of any race, nationality, and religion are health-conscious and prefer something which is pure and safe. As these aspects are highly maintained in Halal standards, from check-in to check-out, we have reviewed all services and Halal standards are implemented there. For example, alcohol consumption

and serving within the premise is prohibited, formalities at the time of check-in for couples, separate allocation for male and female, and no disco or club to provide safe and secure family hotels,” explains Hani Lashin, Group General Manager for Jawhara Group of Hotels and Apartments. Although Al Jawhara implements strict Shariah compliance, it still receives non-Muslim guests. According to Hani, “We have almost 60 per cent non-Muslim guests staying at Al Jawhara. Some of our most loyal non-Muslim guests are from China Airlines.” Even Al Jawhara employees are mostly non-Muslims, but all of them observe Islamic practices such as wearing full Islamic attires and greeting guests with “Assalamualaikum”. “Candidates who appreciate our values are firstly hired. Once the associates are hired, they will be given an induction programme during their date of joining. Proper implementation cannot be followed until and unless the associates believe and follow these principles. Training programmes are also conducted for associates to ensure quality control,” said Hani. Halal hotels are not just about prohibiting alcohol and serving Halal foods, they are also about incorporating Shariah principles in everything from financing to the cleaning process; and ultimately providing a pure and Halal atmosphere for lodgers. Al Jawhara will be a great help in promoting Halal or Islamic tourism. “By expanding the Al Jawhara Group overseas and internationally, it will somehow help promote Halal tourism. Participating in Halal exhibitions is also a good platform in promoting Halal tourism,” said Hani.

fast track | MIDDLE EAST

Al Islami stands firm despite global economy crisis “This is an opportunity for us, Muslim businessmen. We see it as an opportunity for smaller companies to compete with multinational companies (MNCs). “

Saleh Abdullah Lootah Chief Executive Officer of Al Islami Foods,

AL ISLAMI FOODS is an organisation which is considered as a leading provider of quality Halal products. With its Halal products, Al Islami hopes to promote a more positive image of Islam through business to counter misconceptions created by the media in which Islam has been portrayed negatively. One of Al Islami’s unique traits is their belief in creating successful and feasible brand concepts and strategies to provide products consumers want. “We want to get closer to the consumers and we are doing this by maintaining the quality standard and visibility or transparency of our processes to make sure we can present our products

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as perfectly as possible,” said Chief Executive Officer of Al Islami Foods, Saleh Abdullah Lootah, during an interview at the Al Islami booth at Gulfood 2009 in Dubai. “We want to provide for the Muslim market because the demand for Halal is growing and the concern is how we can take this opportunity,” said Saleh Abdullah Lootah. Al Islami plans to take this opportunity by making a few changes to the company, “We have restructured our company, invested in new projects and services, and we have come up with different strategies and new brands,” he added. Despite the current economic downturn, Al Islami is determined to continue

its growth plan with several brand concepts in the pipeline. When asked if the current crisis has affected Al Islami, Saleh Abdullah Lootah said, “This is an opportunity for us, Muslim businessmen. We see it as an opportunity for smaller companies to compete with multinational companies (MNCs). This is because we are smaller therefore we have more room for growth, unlike the MNCs that have become saturated. So, we feel that this is the best time to develop small Muslim companies through branding and marketing activities.” “We (Al Islami) want to become internationally known and be (for example) the Nestlé of Halal food,” he added. Although Al Islami produces

premium quality products, Al Islami is confident that consumers will not opt for lower priced products because of the current economic situation. “We promote affordable products for Muslim (and nonMuslim) consumers with the best quality, taste and hygiene, and we do this to provide what our consumer want and need (Halal products). We believe that our consumers will be loyal to our brand because they trust the quality of our products, and will not compromise quality with quantity (price).” Al Islami’s products include Al Islami Cart – with successful franchises in a few different countries such as Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates; and Al Farooj Fresh, a fast food chain that increases Al Islami’s offerings to their consumers. “Our aim is to compete with multinational fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, and KFC to promote Halal fast food and to provide Muslims with healthy and assured Halal fast food, which is our ultimate goal,” said Saleh Abdullah Lootah. Al Islami also hopes to maintain their position as one of the most highly recognised and renowned Halal providers in the world.

country in focus Endless stripe of sand - perspective of the Mansa Beach

URUGUAY

The land of enterprise As South America’s smallest Spanish-speaking country, Uruguay is often overlooked by tourists, and businessmen visiting the region. However, with its stunning coastline, modern infrastructure and excellent education, Uruguay is well worth discovering.

Romantic sunset over the Rambla Sur

64 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

Architecture in Montevideo

delightfully lowkey, hospitable place, modern Uruguay enjoys a high standard of living but draws fewer visitors than neighbouring Brazil and Argentina. The three most popular destinations are the culturally vibrant capital Montevideo, the picturesque 17th century Port of Colonia, and the trendy coastal resort Punta del Este, which lures jetsetters from around the globe to its sandy beaches, fine restaurants and other entertainment. Visitors here can melt into the background and experience the everyday life of a different culture – whether riding horses under the big sky of Uruguay’s sparsely populated interior or strolling along Montevideo’s 15km long beachfront. SOCIO-POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT Due to its strategic position on the north shore of the Río de la Plata, Uruguay’s territory was hotly contested from the first European settlements, initially by Spain and Portugal, then by the emerging regional powers of Argentina and Brazil. In 1828, the Treaty of Montevideo, fostered by the United Kingdom, gave birth to Uruguay as an independent state. The nation’s first constitution was adopted on 18 July 1830. The remainder of the 19th century, under a series of elected and appointed presidents, saw interventions by and conflicts with, neighbouring

Centenario Stadium in Montevideo

states, political and economic fluctuations, and large inflows of immigrants, mostly from Europe. In 1999, low commodity prices and economic difficulties in its main export markets caused a recession in Uruguay which continued into 2002. Along with the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Uruguay’s key beef sector in 2001, and finally with the political and economic collapse of Argentina, unemployment rose close to 20 per cent, real wages fell, the currency devalued and the percentage of Uruguayans in poverty reached almost 40 per cent. Under the Presidency of Tabare Vazquez, Uruguay has arisen from the economic gloom, with exports increasing, poverty on the wane and a political system that is considered to be the freest in the continent. ECONOMY Uruguay’s economy is characterised by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. Uruguay is one of the more prosperous Latin American countries. The economy has a traditionally strong agricultural sector, with beef and wool being the most important

Panoramic sights of the fields of Lavalleja

Typical landscape of the agricultural production of the Littoral: Hereford bull-calves grazing on pasturelands

Gatepost at the entrance to the old fortified plaza, built in 1745 during the Portuguese domination

products; dairy exports to other Latin American countries are substantial as well. Crop farming is widespread, producing mostly cereals, rice, fruit and vegetables. Manufacturing is concentrated in oil and coal-derived products, chemicals, textiles, transport equipment and leather products. The oil and coal, both for manufacturing and energy consumption, are imported. Mining is confined to small-scale extraction of building materials, industrial minerals and some gold. The tourism ndustry brings in just under USD1 billion annually. Uruguay’s economic health depends heavily on that of ts two large neighbours, Argentina and Brazil. In August 2002, both Argentina and, to a lesser extent, Brazil were gripped by financial crises. This led to a collapse in the crossborder trade upon which Uruguay is heavily dependent. The government was forced to take emergency measures in the form of currency devaluation, loan rescheduling and, in an unusually drastic move, closing down the country’s entire financial system as it approached meltdown. It also appealed for support from the IMF or nternational Monetary Fund, which responded with a USD3 billion package. With the worst of the crisis past, Uruguay s now returning to a level approaching economic health. Uruguay is a member of MERCOSUR, the principal regional trade bloc, as well as the Asociación Latino Americana de Integración (ALADI) and the Inter-American Development Bank. MUSLIMS IN URUGUAY The statistics for Islam in Uruguay estimate a total Muslim population of 300 to 400, representing 0.01 per cent of the population. There are two Islamic centres in Canelones and Montevideo. While there are no mosques, the

Egyptian embassy in Montevideo provides a room for Friday prayers. INDUSTRY Uruguay’s industry has become increasingly competitive over the past decade. This is primarily due to the phased liberalisation of the Uruguayan economy followed by successive governments. An overwhelming majority of Uruguayan industry revolves around agriculture; tire production, textiles, leather apparel, wine and shoes operate in the outskirts of the capital city Montevideo. These industries use raw materials sourced from the rural areas of Uruguay. Uruguay faces stiff competition from companies operating in other MERCOSUR member countries. Other thriving industries in Uruguay include petroleum refining and cement manufacturing. In the beef business, Uruguay is looming ever larger on the global radar screens. The emergence of Uruguay on the world scene was triggered in 1995 when it was declared free of aftosa, or footand-mouth disease (FMD), by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). This opened access to several international beef markets. To consolidate and compete with other major international beef suppliers (such as Australia), Uruguay is currently trying to tap into the Halal beef industry by offering Halal slaughtered Uruguayan premium beef. With the current efficiency and infrastructure in place, the Uruguayan beef industry has a huge potential for growth. The tourist industry is one of the more thriving service businesses in Uruguay, with beautiful beaches on the country’s coastline acting as a magnet for beach lovers worldwide. This discovery and publicity has provided a boost to the tourism industry. The country is currently living off the hype and excitement generated

around its software development abilities; with software development currently generating annual sales of USD245 million and employs between 3,000 and 5,000 people. The growth of the industry has garnered so much excitement that Indian software giant TATA is planning to invest over USD100 million into one of Uruguay’s software developers. Uruguay offers unequalled comparative advantages for manufacturing, commercial and service endeavours; the Uruguayan Free Zone is the indispensable tool for companies seeking to do business in South America’s Southern Cone. Foreign companies are assured the same treatment as domestic enterprises and there are no discriminating registries or special requirements for investment. CONCLUSION Uruguay is trying to position itself as the gateway to the Brazilian and Argentinean markets; and at the same time is trying to maintain international demands for its exports. However, with their small population, it seems unlikely that they will be able to pursue such grandiose objectives unless they consider bringing in foreign labour or rapidly mechanise. The excellent education system has cultivated a highly skilled and able population that is quickly consolidating most of the service industries in and around Uruguay. Major investors such as the TATA group and ABN-AMRO have realised the potential of Uruguay and are looking to increase their investment (once the current global economic crisis subsides). A serene, lush and culturally rich country, Uruguay has long lived off the hype of its footballing endeavours (by winning the first two world cups). It is time for Uruguay to be recognised for what it truly represents: a utopia, where democracy, justice and the unlimited potential of its people hj will be the backbone of its rise. THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

islamic finance

Islamic Finance Fundamentals in the Wake of the Global Financial Crisis Words By DR. MOHAMAD AKRAM LALDIN

Many quarters have written and talked about the current economic crisis that is crippling the globe. Not a single country has been spared from being aﬀected with the current crisis, and some quarters are claiming that the worst are still to come.

he crisis does not emerge out of the blue; however, there are reasons and occurrences over the years which has attributed to the crisis. Among the important cause of the crisis can be summarised as follows: • High leveraging and increased risk taking which reinforces the asset bubbles • Poor underwriting standards and insufficient due diligence conduct in asset back securitisation origination • Incentives and greed motivated by short-term profit that set aside long term value creation • Collapse of corporate governance and lack of transparency • Speculation and excessive risktaking by the market • All the above causes resulted in the following effects:

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• Collapse of equity markets globally • World economy is entering a major slowdown, driven by worst financial crisis in 75 years • Losses by major banks, with more bank failures to emerge • Subprime crisis in the US The above fact prompted Governments, economists and all those who have direct or indirect interest in the global economy to find a viable alternative to the global financial system. Islamic Finance, to a certain extent, has been a subject of discussion and reviews,

as it is the least affected and is largely unscathed. Some of the recent quotes on this issue are as follows: Robert E. Michael, Head of Islamic Finance at New York City Bar, when asked whether Islamic Finance is a viable alternative to the current crisis has responded by saying that: “The answer is clearly yes, but for two mutually exclusive reasons. On the one hand, it is clear that, properly employed, Quranic restrictions would have prevented the excesses of leverage and gambling on derivatives that led to the current collapse; on the

islamic finance

other hand, however, those same restrictions would have prevented our Western economies from reaching anywhere near the levels of size and complexity we enjoy that make it possible for such enormous problems to occur.” The Vatican as quoted in the L’Osservatore Romano Magazine said that Islamic Finance may help western banks in crisis. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority Chief Executive Joseph Yam has also pondered the same view for Islamic Finance to be a viable alternative when he said: “Islamic Finance encourages business activities and generates legitimate profits and rests on principles of fairness, shared risk and ethical practices. There is much for us all to reflect on when considering how badly things have gone wrong recently in what might be called traditional finance.” The question now is: what are the basic principles in Islamic Finance which can be the guiding principles in order to avoid financial crises? As it is obvious, Islamic Finance based on the noble Shariah principle are in harmony with key universal values that will bring about benefit to mankind and prevent harm from them. The basis of Islamic Finance is the revelation through the Quran and the guided lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), which is called the Sunnah. The Quran and the Sunnah have provided the following key elements as important guidance in economic activities: • Economic activities must have a direct link to real economy, meaning that Islam disallows activities which have no direct link to real economy, such as trading in financial instruments. Therefore, the activities of Islamic Finance must have real underlying activities and it is guided by several principles, such as the avoidance of uncertainties in contract, full transparency and disclosure of the transaction details, avoidance of any element of deceit, and so on. •Islam prohibits any immoral activities and considered any income from these activities as prohibited income. This includes any transaction which has the element of gambling, excessive speculation, taking of interest, and so on. In addition, Islam also prohibits trading activities which are considered as immoral activities such as anything related to pornography, liquor, and so on. Excess leveraging which will lead to uncertainty is also prohibited.

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The question now is: what are the basic principles in Islamic Finance which can be the guiding principles in order to avoid financial crises? • Different contractual relationships through different kinds of contracts, such as partnership, and profit and loss sharing also enhance the activities of Islamic Finance. The nature of the contract which specifies that risk have to be shared by the contracting parties indicates the principle of fairness and justice in Islamic Finance. As an example, the partnership contract (Musharakah) specifies that all parties that share the capital in a particular venture, will share the profit proportionately based on their capital contribution. On the other hand, if there is any loss, all parties will have to share the loss according to the portion of the capital contributed. This equity-based contract will also help in generating greater economic activities through the principle of profit and loss sharing, and the clearly defined risk and profit-sharing characteristic served as additional builtin mechanisms to avoid any controversies and economic uncertainties. • Greater fiduciary duties and accountability is

another important element in Islamic Finance. All activities of Islamic Finance are guided and supervised by Shariah advisors, whose roles are to ensure the compliance of Islamic financial products. In addition, all those who are involved in Islamic Finance must ensure that they apply all the decisions of the Shariah accordingly. In Malaysia’s case, this responsibility is enshrined in the law, as stated in the Islamic Banking Act 1983, and the guidance issued by Bank Negara Malaysia. Additionally, the regulators are always there to ensure Islamic Finance practitioners abide by the rulings of the Shariah. These are some elements which can be considered as the built-in mechanism in order to avoid any calamity befalling the economy. These principles, even though briefly described in this writing, are very elaborate in actual practice and will serve as an important shield to the Islamic Finance industry. hj **Note: Dr. Mohamad Akram Laldin is the Executive Director of the International Shariah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) and a member of the Bank Negara Malaysia Shariah Advisory Council.

T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F S A R AWA K I S T H E P R O U D H O S T O F THE TWO MAJOR WORLD CLASS EVENTS

THE STRATEGIC RICE AND FOOD SECURITY CONFERENCE INVESTMEN T AND HALAL INDUSTRIAL ZONE DEVELOPMEN T

UNFORESEEN CHALLENGE IN GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY

AUGUST 2009 S A R AWA K C O N V E N T I O N C E N T R E • K U C H I N G , S A R AWA K • M A L AY S I A

Islamic finance update

COMPILED BY ZAAHIRA MUHAMMAD

MAY+JUNE 09 SABB TAKAFUL CLINCHES SAUDI ARABIAN DEAL Saudi Islamic insurance firm SABB Takaful said on Saturday, it signed an agreement with the kingdom’s flagship carrier, Saudi Arabian Airlines, to provide its passengers with travel insurance products. The agreement will cover both Saudi Arabian Airlines’ domestic and international flights, SABB Takaful said in a statement posted on the bourse’s website. The products will be compliant with Islamic Shariah, SABB added. Saudi Arabian Airlines carried 18 million passengers in 2007. SABB bank owns 32.5 per cent of SABB Takaful and another 32.5 per cent is owned by subsidiaries of HSBC. Under Islamic insurance, members contribute to a pool of funds which is used to indemnify participants who suffer a loss. Saudi Arabia, potentially one of the most lucrative markets in the world, has licensed about 30 insurance firms in the past three years and is considering applications by 10 others to try to open up the insurance sector in the world’s top oil exporter. The largest Gulf Arab economy is one of the world’s most under-insured areas, partly due to a belief among some Muslims that insurance could indicate a lack of religious faith. |SOURCE: TRADEARABIA. COM, 31 JANUARY 2009

EMIRATES ISLAMIC BANK ANNOUNCES RECORD BREAKING PROFIT RATES ON DEPOSITS Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB), one of the leading Islamic financial institutions in the region, announced today new and higher profit rates on customer investment deposits for the fourth quarter of 2008. The bank announced the new rates (p.a.) as: less than two years 6.300 per cent, one-year 6.250 per cent, nine months 6.150 per cent, six months 6.100 per cent, and three months 6.075 per cent. These rates are among the highest returns in the country. Commenting on the results, Mr. Ebrahim Fayez Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Islamic Bank, stated: 70 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

“In 2008, we achieved record breaking results for the bank on all fronts. We continue to lead as the preferred bank in all our target segments. The profit rate results on our deposits are yet another win for our customers and all our stakeholders. We have once again declared the highest profit rates on select deposits in the UAE, in line with our track record for the last few years.” Emirates Islamic Bank has 28 branches across the country and is expected to open several other new branches in different areas of the UAE in the coming months. |SOURCE: ZAWYA.COM, 3 FEBRUARY 2009

DIB NAMED ESCROW ACCOUNT AGENT BY RAS AL KHAIMAH GOVERNMENT Dubai Islamic Bank has been appointed as an official escrow account agent by the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Government through Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA). The agreement was signed recently by Mohammed Al Sharif, Chief of Finance, Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), and the Chief Executive Officer of RAKIA, the real estate development arm of the Ras Al Khaimah Government, at a ceremony held in Rakeen. Under the Amiri Decree No. 22 of 2008 for the creation of the Guarantee Accounts promulgated in July 2008, property developers in Ras Al Khaimah must place project receivables in escrow or trust, until predetermined milestones are achieved. The Chief Executive Officer of RAKIA said: “We are pleased to appoint DIB as an official escrow account agent for projects in RAK. As a leading escrow provider in the UAE, DIB has a proven track record of wellmanaged trust accounts. We are confident that both property investors and developers will benefit immensely from DIB’s vast experience and expertise.” |SOURCE: ZAWYA. COM, 3 FEBRUARY 2009

GULF SHARES DROP ON ECONOMY, OIL PRICE; KUWAIT’S INDEX ADVANCES Gulf shares fell as the

International Monetary Fund cut its economic growth forecast for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after oil prices tumbled. Kuwait’s index gained on speculation details of a government bailout to be announced soon. Emaar Properties PJSC, the UAE’s biggest property developer, dropped the most in more than a week after buying the 40 per cent stake in Emaar Turkey it did not already own. Emirates Telecommunications Corporation fell as it reported a decline in profit. Abu Dhabi’s largest property developers last week posted their steepest profit declines since listing in 2005 as the real-estate boom in the UAE slowed amid the global credit crisis. Saudi Arabia’s Arab National Bank slid for a sixth day. The Dubai Financial Market General Index fell 2.2 per cent to 1,487.26. The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange General Index retreated 1.3 per cent, while Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index lost 0.9 per cent. “Low oil prices may hurt growth prospects in the region at a time when main players and hedge funds seem to be absent,” said Chamel Fahmy, senior regional sales trader at Beltone Securities Brokerage in Dubai. “The earnings of property companies are not giving investors any reason to be optimistic.” |SOURCE: BLOOMBERG. COM, 1 FEBRUARY 2009

MANAGEMENT OF ALMANARA INSURANCE COMPANY ENHANCES ITS EFFICIENCY WITH ‘THE TAKAFUL CERTIFICATE’ Omar Hamed, Deputy General Manager of Al-Manara Insurance Company, was awarded ‘The Takaful Certificate’ by JWZ Insurance Solutions, based in Bahrain, and approved by the Chartered Insurance Institute in the United Kingdom. Omar expressed his pride and delight for acquiring ‘The Takaful Certificate’ which he adds to the different certificates he had previously obtained, such as the professional certificate from the DIP/CII.

Omar said, “We, as staff and management members at Al-Manara Insurance, exert every effort to upgrade the company’s standards and increase the knowledge in the insurance sector; as the employees’ credentials reflect the level of outstanding services that we provide, in line with the requirements of our customers.” ‘The Takaful Certificate’ is the most recent certificate awarded to professionals in the field of Islamic insurance, granted by the JWZ Insurance Solutions in cooperation with the Chartered Institute of Insurance in the United Kingdom. |SOURCE: AMEINFO.COM, 1 FEBRUARY 2009

OCBC AL-AMIN EXPECTS DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH OCBC Al-Amin Bank Bhd is expecting a double digit growth this year despite the gloomy economic outlook. “Generally, it will be in the low end of double digit growth for both assets and income. This target is achievable due to our current base which is relatively small,” said the bank’s Director and Chief Executive Officer, Syed Abdull Aziz Syed Kechik, at the opening of a second branch and introduction of three Shariahcompliant unit trust products. For the financial year ended 31 December 2008, the bank’s asset size was at RM3.7 billion. He also stated that the bank would open three more branches this year, at a cost of RM3 million each. “We will focus on efforts in opening the three branches, along with initiatives to develop innovative financial solutions for our customers,” said Syed Abdull. The unit trust products launched today are PRUdana Al-Islah, PRUdana Dinamik and HLG Islamic Income Management Fund, which are based on the Islamic principle of Wakalah. According to Syed Abdull, the products come with the flexibility to act either as an investment tool or a means of timely conversion into liquid asset. OCBC Al-Amin is the wholly-owned Islamic banking subsidiary of OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd. |SOURCE: BERNAMA, 10 MARCH 2009

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ISLAMIC ART & DESIGNS IN ARCHITECTURE PHNOM PENH REVEALED RESTAURANT REVIEW: CHINA TREASURES, KL BOOK REVIEW: PROPER ISLAMIC CONSUMPTION

ISLAMIC ART AND DESIGNS

IN ARCHITECTURE

In Islamic architecture, light functions decoratively by modifying other elements by originating patterns. Light can add a dynamic quality to architecture, extending patterns, forms and designs into dimensions of time.

cover story It is necessary to realise the diﬀerent conceptions of art itself in order to understand the essence of Islamic Art. Islamic Art reﬂects Islam’s cultural values as well as how the Muslims view life, the spiritual realm, and the universe.

Words By ZAAHIRA MUHAMMAD

ISLAMIC ART AND DESIGNS IN ARCHITECTURE

slamic Art developed its own unique character which uses a few primary forms: calligraphic, geometric, arabesque, and floral, which are often intertwined. As said by Barbara Allen, CEO of Hospitality and Leisure Asia, “In Islamic Art there is a highly developed expression of internal enclosed space; its exterior face is treated simply without great articulation, rather, its interior space is reserved for this expression of beauty and paradise. The use of vegetal design in the glazed ceramics, gyps, marble, wood, and bronze; are inventive, and quite breathtaking. This can be both organically expressed and geometrically expressed.” During the Islamic history, its art has taken a great variety of forms in the different parts of the Muslim world according to local traditions and conditions ranging from simple folk art to that of

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the most skilled artist or artisan. In the works of the latter, whether it is a master calligrapher, renowned ceramists or potter, a skilled embroiderer or miniature-maker, the legacy of craftsmanship involving the mastery of an art or craft along traditional lines complete with meticulous attention to fine detail is characteristic. These traditions continue today and Islamic architecture and decorative arts are still very much alive and appreciated in many parts of the Muslim world. Geometric motifs were popular for decorating every surface; textiles, walls, pots, book covers, and floors. The development of Islamic art may have been due to the discouragement of images in Islam on the basis that it could lead to idolisation. Instead of covering buildings and other surfaces with human figures, complex geometrical and vegetal designs were developed to decorate mosques, palaces, homes and public places.

In Islamic architecture, devices typical of Islamic architectural decoration are the minaret, a tower which the faithful are called to worship, and the tomb tower. Pointed arches, brick domes and brick vaulted arcades are one of the most common traits of Islamic architecture. In Islamic architecture, there are different elements of decorating building spaces. In Islamic art, the circle and its centre, is a symbol of a religion that emphasizes one God and also symbolising the role of Mecca as the centre of Islam in the direction of which all Muslims face during prayer. The circle is regarded as a symbol of eternity, without being, without end and from the circle comes three fundamental figures of Islamic art which is the square, triangle and hexagon. The square is the symbol of physical experience and materiality. Whereas the triangle is the symbol of human consciousness and the principle of harmony, and the hexagon

symbolises heaven. Another one of Islamic Art’s prominent symbol is the star which symbolises equal radiation in all directions from the central point. The rays of a star reach out in all directions making the star an ideal symbol for the spread of Islam. These geometric patterns became one of the most distinguished figures in Islamic Art. Geometric ornamentation offers the possibility of infinite growth and accommodates incorporation of other types of ornamentation. Calligraphic ornamentation also appears alongside geometric patterns. These decorative designs are also applied in Islamic architecture. Decoration featuring Quranic calligraphy is also an important aspect of Islamic art and architecture. Arabic is the language of Islam – the language in which the Holy Quran, Islam’s sacred scripture was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) by Allah S.W.T. – and is written from right to left; this is as much to say that the writing runs back from the field of action towards the heart. It is the language that binds Muslims of all times and places together in a single unified brotherhood. The art of calligraphy was developed amongst Muslims from early times to a very high degree because of their love and respect for the Quran. Quranic verses decorate mosques, palaces and homes, businesses, and public areas throughout the Muslim world. Calligraphy is often done alongside decorative motifs, lovingly decorating what is most sacred and precious. The Arabic script lends itself wonderfully to decorative use due to its peculiar character. Many different scripts have evolved in various regions of the Muslim world. The script of Kufah known as Kufic, is unslanted, squat and thick and is suitable for writing on stone or metal surfaces for carving on mosque walls as well as coin surfaces. While the Kufic is angular, the Naskhi script is more cursive. In the 11th century C.E., the Naskhi script appeared and gradually replaced the Kufic script as the most popular script for copying the Quran as well as secular and personal writings. From the Naskhi script, the 76 THE HALAL JOURNAL LIVING | MAY+JUNE 2009

“... we begin to understand, that there is in Islamic Art its own internalised balance – from which the emotional journey of the human spirit can be guided, moved and then lifted to a higher plane.” modern Arabic script was developed. In the 7th century, the Thuluth script was first created but did not fully develop until the 9th century. According to arabiccalligraphy.com, Thuluth means ‘a third’, possibly because the script was a third the size of another popular contemporary script. The Thuluth script is normally used as ornamental script which was used to write headings of Surahs and other religious inscriptions. The Ta’liq script is another type of Islamic scripture that was designed specifically to meet the needs of the Persian language. In the 14th century, the Ta’liq script was replaced by the Nasta’liq script which is a combination of two scripts: Naskhi and Ta’liq. This script, according to arabiccalligraphy.com is a fluid and elegant script just like the Ta’liq script and both were used for copying Persian literary works.

The other type of Islamic scripture is an excessively cursive type of Arabic calligraphy which is highly structured with its letters undotted and inconveniently joined together with no vowel marks. The fixation of Islamic calligraphy is extended to all arts including inscriptions on palaces, pottery, textiles, glass, and wood and also to non-Muslims and non-Arabicspeaking people. Because calligraphy is considered one of the most important elements in Islamic art and architecture, nearly all Islamic buildings have some type of surface inscription in the stone, marble, stucco, mosaic and painting. These inscriptions could be verses from the Quran, names and dates, or lines of poetry. Inscriptions are often used as frames around or along main elements of a building such as cornices and also might be contained in a single panel. Calligraphic texts might appear in pierced rounded, convex surface, providing a pattern for light filtering through windows. In Islamic architecture, light functions decoratively by modifying other elements by originating patterns. Light can add a dynamic quality to architecture, extending patterns, forms and designs into dimensions of time. Floral patterns are also used in Islamic architecture. Islamic artists replicate nature with a lot of accuracy. Islam discourages artists to produce human or animal figures through art because humans and animals are considered to be in the realm of God. Figural sculpture is rare in Islam because of this. Water from courtyard pools and fountain, however, is a popular addition in Islamic architecture, especially in the hot climate, because it cools as it decorates. Water, the life giver, serves its function, to cool or cleanse. Barbara also added, “As designers and artists we love it, and as we learn more and more about the art form, so divorced from the architectural sensibilities and balance of the western world, we begin to understand, that there is in Islamic Art its own internalised balance – from which the emotional journey of the human spirit can be guided, moved and then lifted to a hj higher plane.”

journey The Entrance of the Wat Phnom

The Cambodian National Museum

Evening walks at the Riverside

The capital of Cambodia unveils what it has to offer... We have heard so much about Phnom Penh, Cambodia; its food, history and its sights that we just had to see for ourselves what the fascination of the city was all about. So with our passport in hand, baggage safely checked in at Phnom Penh’s Sunway Hotel and a stack of US one dollar bills in our wallet, we brave a ride with deranged tuk tuk drivers, strange foods and the chaotic traﬃc to list out the essential visits in this beautiful city... SEEK ENLIGHTENMENT AT THE WAT PHNOM Top on your list should be to swing by the Wat Phnom, which means temple on the hill. Created by Lady Penh in the late 1300s, folklore claims that Lady Penh discovered four Buddha statues at the site of the hill and thus built a small temple to house the statues there. Buddha statues aside though, the Wat Phnom is also known to house the remains of King Ponhea Vat, the very same king who relocated the capital of Cambodia from Angkor to Phnom Penh in the early 1400s. The temple is a major tourist draw due to its location, which is right in the middle of the city on the intersection of Street 96 and Norodom Boulevard. Tourists are charged USD1 as entrance fee to view the temple, whereas locals walk in free. VISIT THE GENOCIDE MUSEUM Found on the corner of Street 113 and Street 350, is one of the most fascinating and eerie places to visit in Phnom Penh. What was the former high school known as Toul Sleng is now a Genocide Museum, which traces the true accounts of the horrors of the Khmer Rouge under the 78 THE HALAL JOURNAL LIVING | MAY+JUNE 2009

leadership of Pol Pot. The memorial highlights the horrific history of the S-21 prison, where under the orders of Pol Pot, thousands were interrogated, tortured and eventually murdered at the infamous killing fields of Choeung Ek. The prison kept extensive records and documents like photos of their victims and personal effects, many of which are on display. One of the highlights of the museum is the paintings of torture at the prison by Vann Nath, one of the survivors of Toul Seng. The actual holding cells and torture contraptions of the Khmer Rouge are also open for viewing but for those looking to see the museum’s famed and controversial ‘Skull Map’, please be informed that it has been dismantled. The victims’ skulls and bones however are still kept within a display case in the museum. The Toul Seng Genocide Museum is open seven days a week, 8am to 5pm. Entrance fees: USD2 per person. GRAB A BITE AT THE RUSSIAN MARKET One of the main places tourists go to get good bargains on souvenirs and local craft, the Russian Market is also the place to go if you are up for a bite. Boasting numerous

stalls selling all sorts of traditional Khmer hawker fare as well as local dishes with a tinge of western influence, the market is a gastronomical haunt for food lovers. If you are spoilt for choice on what to try out, might we suggest the traditional Cambodian sandwich: a baguette (yes, baguette due to the French influence), which is stuffed with lettuce leaves, tomatoes, cucumbers and a choice of ham or sardines. Another perennial favourite is the Cambodian roasted chicken: a whole chicken spit roasted and flavoured with turmeric, saffron and lemon grass. For the more adventurous, there are also fried bugs but we will refrain from telling you that you should attempt to eat those at your own peril. LEARN HISTORY AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM If walking around and viewing old buildings are not enough for you, then do pay a visit to Cambodia’s National Museum located nearby the Royal Palace. The museum houses a collection of ancient Khmer art as well as artefacts and sculptures from the Angkorean and pre-Angkorean period. The building itself is a marvel to look at as

Travel Note

The Majestic Entrance of the Golden Palace

HALAL RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY: LUMBINI RESTAURANT No. 51B, Samdech Pan (St. 214) 12211 Phnom Penh, Tel: +855 23 212 544 A small quaint restaurant that serves authentic Indian dishes.

Retrace history at the Genocide Museum

PUNCAK HOTEL & RESTAURANT No. 115-155, Ly Yoat Lay (St. 172) 12206 Phnom Penh, Tel: +855 23 213 205 The hotel’s coffee house serves a wide variety of local Cambodian as well as International Fare.

The romantic setting of the FCC Restaurant in Phnom Penh

ROYAL INDIA RESTAURANT No. 21, Street 111 12252 Phnom Penh, Tel: +855 23 300 080 Serves predominantly Northern Eastern Indian fare. BOPHA PHNOM PENH RESTAURANT Sisowath, Port de Phnom Penh, corner rue 106 12202 Phnom Penh, Tel: +855 23 427 209 Authentic Khmer cuisine and dishes. BITES RESTAURANT No. 240B, Street 107, near Capitol Guest House Phnom Penh, Tel: +855 17 997 779 Boasts Malaysian, Khmer and Western Food. LESTON PARIS RESTAURANT Business Listing No. 112ED, Street 173 Phnom Penh, Tel 017 285 286 One of the best places for Cambodian cuisine.

Nightlife in Phnom Penh

Eerie remnants of an inmate’s bed at the Genocide Museum

The Central Market is a hub for great buys in Phnom Penh

Shop for great bargains and souvenirs at the Russian Market

it boasts a traditional Cambodian design complete with a terracotta roof structure. The National Museum opens daily from 8am to 5pm. Entrance fee: USD2 per entry. What else can we say, it is a museum. SPOT THE KING AT THE GOLDEN PALACE The main tourist haunt in Phnom Penh, the Golden Palace is not only the King and Queen’s residence but also the site for the Silver Pagoda. Once inside the compound (USD3 per entrance plus USD2 for a camera), do pay a visit to the gleaming yellow halls of the Throne Hall and the Napoleon III Pavilion, a 19th century building that was a gift by Queen Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. Last but not least, pop in for a visit to the Silver Pagoda or the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha located within the compound of the Royal Palace. The Silver Pagoda is named after the 5,000 silver tiles that adorn the building’s floor and the 17th century emerald Buddha which stands in the middle of the Pagoda. SHOP FOR SOUVENIRS AT THE CENTRAL MARKET The main shopping destination in Phnom Penh, the Central Market has everything under one roof. Getting to the market is easy, as it is commonly known to all tuk-tuk drivers and roughly costs USD1 to USD2 to get there. The market sells everything from CDs to fabrics to jewellery; handicrafts to ceramics and knock-off tee shirts and

jerseys. Bargaining is an art form here and it would be wise to consult your mother before making a trip there, in case you do not want to get cheated. DINE AT THE FCC More of an institution than a restaurant, the FCC (Foreign Correspondence Club) has been a meeting place for journalists, photographers, diplomats and travellers since it opened its doors in 1993. Famous for casual open-air dining and having the best view in the city (facing the Mekong River); the FCC has an elaborate menu of western, fusion and traditional Khmer dishes. Prices start from USD3.50 for a starter dish and goes all the way up to USD15 for a main course. Word of advice, go for the vegetable spring rolls as a starter and Amok fish (traditional Khmer fish curry) for the main course. To wash it down? Well, nothing beats sipping an ice-cold tea while watching fishing boats and rice barges go by. WATCH THE SUNSET AT THE RIVERSIDE The riverside in Phnom Penh is a 1.5 km long stretch esplanade that has the best bars and restaurants the city has to offer. The riverside widely known for having a scenic panoramic view of the Mekong River is a favourite haunt for both locals and tourists. The esplanade is also home to numerous street vendors selling peanuts, popcorn and local snacks, making it easier to snack on something hj as the sun sets on the Mekong. THE HALAL JOURNAL LIVING | MAY+JUNE 2009

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COMPILED BY ZAAHIRA MUHAMMAD

Restaurant + Foodservice

Give me some Dim Sum! Aromatic Duck

Chilled Black Glutinous Rice wth Ice Cream in Dragon Fruit

Chef David Pam is attached to China Treasures, a Fine Dining Chinese restaurant, located in the premises of the Sime Darby Convention Centre in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This 32 years old young chef has acquired his culinary skills from various famous restaurants in Singapore, such as The Crystal Jade, The Peach Garden, The Garden Peony Restaurant at the Conrad Hotel, and the Imbi Palace in Kuala Lumpur, known for its extravagant functions. Never being much of a Dim Sum fan, Chef David Pam has converted me enough to look out for more adventurous menus he is planning for next season. The good stuff was obviously pointed out to me from the Dim Sum list, such as, Deep Fried Yam Paste with Chicken, Steamed Shanghainese Dumpling, Mini Egg Tart, Steamed Rice Roll with Prawns, Deep Fried Prawns wrapped with Crispy Dragon Beard, and so on. How curious the names, and how delightfully it was presented (I could not help wanting to take pictures of these little master pieces)! Look out for the Steamed Chicken Siew Mai with Fish Roe, a luxurious platter

80 THE HALAL JOURNAL LIVING | MAY+JUNE 2009

that tastes just as exciting as it looks. The Stir Fried Carrot Cake with Special Chilli Sauce is not the carrot cake as we know it, and if you are dining with friends, this will disappear very quickly! I also had a portion of Prawns with Chef’s Homemade Sauce, and the Sautéed Beef Cube with Black Pepper Sauce – that was very tender and juicy. Veggie lovers must try the Braised Homemade Spinach Beancurd with Shimeiji Mushrooms. For something ordinary yet unusual, try the Fried Rice with Salted Egg Yolk and Seafood (the salted egg gives it an interesting twist). After all that, there was still room for pudding! Try the Chilled Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream in Dragon Fruit, which came in an explosion of colours and was almost unreal to eat. Hot Pink Fruit with glutinous rice and sweet ice cream, what a riot! For something ‘calmer’, try the Chilled Cream of Mango with Pomelo and Sago. Also available are private rooms that seat a maximum of 40 people. Contact +603 2089 3788 for reservations.

Black Pepper Beef Cube

Chilled Mango Cream

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Books

Music

Edited By: Zainah Anwar Publisher: Musawah ISBN: 978-983-2622-26-0

Musawah, a Malaysian nongovernmental organisation that commits itself to promoting the rights of women within the framework of Islam, was initiated in March 2007 by Sisters in Islam. This organisation has specially compiled a set of theoretical papers to provide support for its declaration that equality is necessary and possible in Muslim families today. These papers have been collected in this edited volume entitled Wanted: Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family. As a concise resource for the Musawah movement, the book also contains the Musawah Framework for Action. This unique compilation of papers is written in such a way that is easy to understand therefore making it a book that should be read by anyone who seeks knowledge in this matter.

BOOK TITLE: PROPER ISLAMIC CONSUMPTION: SHOPPING AMONG THE MALAYS IN MODERN MALAYSIA

Author: Johan Fischer Publisher: NIAS Press ISBN: 978-87-7694-032-4

Proper Islamic Consumption: Shopping among the Malays in Modern Malaysia by Johan Fischer is the first book that explores how Malaysia’s up-and-coming

Malay middle class is comprised through consumer practices and Islamic revivalism. This fantastic and helpful read examines the powerful connections between class, market relations, consumption, Islam, and the state in modern Malaysia. Guiding principles and practice that affects consumption or shopping choice, and the roles of shopping malls are also emphasised. Among the few matters discussed are: control of shopping malls and Islamic approaches to malls; organic foods; Halal in daily lifestyle; class priorities and Islamic perceptions of extravagance and status; establishment of Halal or Haram procedures; and middle class aspiration. Bibliography, index, as well as black and white photographs are also included in this accommodating read. Meet the author, Johan Fischer at the 4th World Halal Forum on 4 and 5 May 2009 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia.

82 THE HALAL JOURNAL LIVING | MAY+JUNE 2009

Khalid Belrhouzi who was born in Casablanca, Morocco, but hails from France, is known for his melodic nightingale-like voice. He began singing since the tender age of seven and was lead vocalist of ‘Badr’, a French-based band in the late nineties. In 2002, two of his albums, ‘Paroles Veridiques’ (True Word) and ‘Les Noms de Dieu’ (The Names of God), were released in France. Khalid joined Yusuf Islam in 2003, for The Night of Remembrance Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London; and he has also worked and toured with Zain Bhika; where these performances as well as duets have shown us the artistic quality of this fabulous singer. After taking time off from this industry, Khalid is making a comeback by working with Benammi, The Jamal Records’ in-house composer on a collection of new songs. ‘Man’Ana?’ is one of Khalid’s recent albums, which is a collection of popular songs that glorifies Allah the Almighty and praises the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This album includes a modern interpretation of the Imam Busiri poem; and the melodious sound of Dawud Wharnsby and Khalid Belrhouzi is also featured, for the first time, in Arabic as well as in English in Yusuf Islam’s classic, ‘Silent Sunlight’.

Photo extracted from www jamalrecords.com.

Khalid Belrhouzi

BOOK TITLE: WANTED: EQUALITY AND JUSTICE IN THE MUSLIM FAMILY

on display

COMPILED BY ZAAHIRA MUHAMMAD

Halal products are those that are good, pure and safe for human consumption. It ranges from food to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals to toiletries. Here are some of the products with the Halal guarantee.

CRISTAL ROSELLE JUICE CONCENTRATE

Roselle is an herbal medicinal plant grown in the tropics. Cristal Roselle Juice Concentrate is a nutritional drink that contains natural vitamins A and C, and minerals, such as calcium and potassium, that quenches thirst and helps revitalise your body. Under controlled temperature, the juice is extracted to retain its natural goodness and colour. There is nothing like a Roselle drink that simply refreshes and nourishes you with its all natural taste whenever you need it! Call Murni Marketing at +603 746 1986 for details.

ORVIEN GOLDEN DELITE ALMONDFILLED CHOCOLATE

Orvien Golden Delite Chocolate is definitely a good option for snacking. These almond-filled chocolates are a popular choice amongst Halal chocolate lovers. Orvien Golden Delite Chocolate is available at selected retail stores.

CATUR BISTARI

The Catur Bistari board game was developed and introduced by Johor Corporation. It is a great educational and self-improvement board game that can be enjoyed with family and friends, with a board and game method akin to the famous “Monopoly”. The objective of this game is to create an interest and awareness in money management and entrepreneurship; to develop a culture and interest in making entrepreneurship a career of choice; and to develop genuine entrepreneurship values. The term “Catur” (chess) is used to describe the rules and regulations of the strategic manoeuvres in business. This board game is suitable for people of all levels and exposes players to the intricacies of the business world. It not only inculcates interest in business as a viable career option, but also the necessary qualities anchored on Islamic values to emerge as successful business people. Catur Bistari is currently sold at RM89.90 per set at all KFC Restaurants in Malaysia, and is currently available only in the Malay language.

NURI SAMBAL PECAL (PEANUT SAUCE)

Nuri Sambal Pecal (Peanut Sauce) is a traditional Malay dish which is blended from quality spices and selected ingredients. It is suitable to be served as vegetable dressing with bean sprouts, turnips, bean curds, cucumber and kangkung (water spinach). This sauce is easy to prepare: just stir this sauce with hot or boiling water, pour it on the vegetables and it is ready to be served. Talk about convenience! This mouth watering Peanut Sauce is available in local retail outlets.

84 THE HALAL JOURNAL LIVING | MAY+JUNE 2009

BEGA CANNED CHEESE

Bega Canned Cheese is ideal for the Middle Eastern market and displays both English and Arabic labelling on each can. This product comes in four different sizes of 56gm, 113gm, 225gm and 340gm. This product has a shelf life of 24 months and does not require refrigeration. Log on to www.begacheese.com.au for more information.

HOT-CAN

Hot-Can has created a self-heating technology that is revolutionary, bringing you self-heating canned drinks that are both delicious and convenient. You can grab a can of Hot-Can beverage of your choice, and have it hot on the go, wherever you are! Hot-Can drinks come in four different flavours that include Cafe Latte, Hot Chocolate, Hot Tea and Hot Mocha. Check out www.hot-can.com for more information.

Malaysia's Official Food & Hotel Show 11 - 14 August 2009 Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia

Incorporating

Held In Conjunction With

Halal Food Asia 2009

CulinaireMalaysia2009

Endorsed By

Supported By

M nistry of Tourism, Ma ays a

Malaysian Assoc ation of Hotels

Chefs Associa ion of Ma ays a

The Malaysian Food & Beverage Executives Assoc ation

Supporting Media Partners

Official Web Partner

Organised By

Malaysia External T ade Development Corporation

Please send me more information on exhibiting at FHM 2009. Please send me more information on visiting FHM 2009. For further information, please call / fax to : MALAYSIAN EXHIBITION SERVICES SDN BHD (58243-X) Suite 1402, 14th Floor, Plaza Permata, Jalan Kampar, Off Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel : +603 4041 0311 Fax : +603 4043 7241 E-Mail : enquiry@mesallworld.com Ref: Halal Journal

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snapshots

Q&A at WIEF 2009 Jakarta

Tun Abdullah Hj. Ahmad Badawi (immediate past Prime Minister of Malaysia) and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali (Chairman of the Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies) at the 5th World Islamic Economic Forum in Jakarta

Something brewing at the new halaljournal.com launch. From left: Datoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dr. Mohd. Hashim Tajudin (Group Managing Director, CCM), Marco Tieman (Founder of LBB International), and Datoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Seri Jamil Bidin (CEO of Halal Industry Development Corporation)

Egypt in display at Gulfood 2009

Gulfood 2009: Visitors leaving after a fruitful day

parting words Founded in 1990, in Taiwan, Totalife has since evolved into a leading company in the health and wellness industry. Totalife expanded to Malaysia in 1995, Singapore in 2003, then, mainland China in 2005. Growing from a humble, unknown company to the current slimming empire it is today, Totalife upholds its commitment creating a healthy life and promoting physical and mental health through its products and activities. Having received the Halal certification from The Chinese Muslim Association Taiwan, and endorsed by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) since 2005, The Halal Journal interviews the Executive Director of Totalife Malaysia and Singapore, Frederick Ng, for his views on the necessity of being Halal-certified and its benefits for Totalife.

TOTALIFE + HALAL = HEALTHY LIFE AND PROMOTING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH HOW AND WHY DID TOTALIFE DECIDE TO HAVE THE HALAL CERTIFICATION MARK ON YOUR PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING? With Muslims being a majority in Malaysia, it is important to develop products to meet our market needs. Halal certification is the added assurance of hygiene, quality, and safety, ideal for Muslims to use with a peace of mind. It is essential that our Research and Development Faculty in Los Angeles, USA, and our own manufacturing facilities, ensure our products are consistently manufactured and controlled under Halal production guidelines and requirements. More and more Muslim clientele have chosen Totalife as their slimming solution and health supplement in the last few years. HOW HAS GETTING HALAL CERTIFICATION MADE A DIFFERENCE/IMPACT IN THE SALES OF TOTALIFE’S PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND DO YOU THINK IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHETHER OR NOT A COMPANY IS HALAL CERTIFIED? The society, on the whole, is concerned about Halal certification as it is beneficial to them in terms of quality and safety standards, respect for animal welfare, environmentallyfriendly, and socially responsible. Halal certification, I believe, is the key to sustaining growth on a long term basis, and to ensure our brand’s success in the marketplace. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING HALAL CERTIFICATION? DO YOU FEEL THAT WITH HALAL CERTIFICATION, YOU CAN GAIN MORE CONFIDENCE ON YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AMONGST THE MUSLIM CONSUMERS? HAS IT ENCOURAGED MORE DEMAND FROM THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY GLOBALLY? With Halal certification, we have managed to gain more confidence 88 THE HALAL JOURNAL | MAY+JUNE 2009

and demand on our products and services amongst Muslim consumers across Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and China. Halal certification is a bridge to penetrate into the global Muslim market; so we are able to expand our market into Muslim countries, for example, Indonesia, Brunei and the Middle East.

“Halal certification is a bridge to penetrate into the global Muslim market; so we are able to expand our market into Muslim countries, for example, Indonesia, Brunei and the Middle East.”

WHO ARE YOUR TARGET MARKETS? Muslims and non-Muslims; Totalife is always a perfect choice for all. WHICH PRODUCTS ARE CERTIFIED HALAL? Our health supplementary Slimming, Health Care and Beauty Care products have been certified Halal; such as our Total Diet 8-Plus, Total Sweet, Fittache, Lipokleen A, Lipokleen B, Totalac, Total En-Liv, Total Tea, A3 Total Soup, Tolagen Plus, Total Jing, and Total Drink. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES? Totalife’s products are renowned for quality, ease of consumption and result-driven efficacy. The extensive Totalife’s health product range comprises the highly popular Slimming Series as well as Health Care, Beauty Care and Total Care. The concept of purification and nourishment is upheld for a healthy body and mind. In line with the Government’s efforts to encourage a healthier diet and active lifestyle, a slimming workshop named SPA – Slimming Project A has been organised since 2003. SPA combines an integrated regimen of exercise, nutrientrich diet - meal replacement and supplementation programme, body scan and fat monitor, and

enhances your knowledge of healthy slimming. We have also set up Customer Service Centres, Distribution Centres and “LEARN” Stations in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, making Totalife products very convenient and accessible to customers. Multi- channel distribution marketing via people to people, retail outlets and e-commerce also caters to our customers’ needs from different places, offering unlimited business opportunities. In future, we will establish our ecommerce business to make the products hj available to the Muslim community.

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