PENANG INTERNATIONAL HALAL FOOD & HERITAGE FESTIVAL (PIH2F)
SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
PENANG INTERNATIONAL HALAL FOOD &
HERITAGE FESTIVAL (PIH2F)
17 December 2022 | Padang Kota
YBhg. Dato’ Haji Abdul Halim bin Hussain
Penang State EXCO for Trade and Industry and Entrepreneurial Development cum Chairman of Penang Halal International (PHI)
Honourable State Assemblymen
His Excellency Consuls General
Honorary Consuls
YBrs. En. Fazil Irwan Som
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Penang Halal International
Board Members of Penang Halal International
Tan Sri’-Tan Sri’/ Dato’ Seri – Dato’ Seri/ Dato’-Dato’
Heads Of Departments and Government Agencies
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good evening.
It is a pleasure for me to be here with all of you today, and to see so many people from diverse backgrounds attending this promising event that combines the Halal concept of integrity and cleanliness, with the value of Heritage, which brings the best of culinary and communal traditions.
As you can see, the Halal sector is steadily expanding in Penang, thanks to the relentless efforts of the Halal agencies in the state, namely the Halal division of the Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Pulau Pinang (JHEAIPP) and the Penang Halal International (PHI). They have taken significant strides to raise awareness about the merits of the Halal sector and draw more people into this expanding market. Not to mention all the other agencies in Penang that have assisted local entrepreneurs in entering the lucrative Halal market.
I, therefore, would like to express my appreciation to everyone involved for their hard work, including PHI, especially on this occasion for organising the Penang International Halal Food & Heritage Festival (PIH2F) today. I hope that this will become an annual event to which we can all look forward to each year.
As many of us are aware, the Penang International Halal Expo & Conference (PIHEC) was held from 1st to 3rd July 2022. It was a huge success, with an attendance of approximately 15,000 people from close to 20 countries worldwide during the three-day period. The event was aimed at positioning Penang as a Halal Gateway for the East, by bringing the ASEAN Halal supply chain together in one location. It was meant for export-ready B2B players who are ready to take on the ASEAN market and beyond.
Today's event, on the other hand, is somewhat different as it is primarily geared toward micro-SMEs while we honour our rich heritage as well as that of other nations. The micro-SMEs make up the vast majority of SMEs in Penang and throughout Malaysia, and this, is even more so in the Halal sector. These companies have a lot of potential, but they also require strong support and exposure in order to advance up the Halal value chain.
The Halal Festival today therefore aims to serve as a crucial platform for them to first ply their trade, and introduce their products in the wider domestic market, before making it bigger on PIHEC, or in other words, the international stage.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The global Halal industry is currently valued at USD2 trillion, and it is expected to expand further to USD5 trillion by 2030. This is a huge market that cannot be overlooked, not least by Penang, which is one of the most advanced states in terms of industrial base and by GDP per capita.
Penang does, in fact, possess all of the necessary ingredients to become the world's regional Halal champion.
Not only are we at the epicentre of ASEAN, being in the middle of both mainland and maritime Southeast Asia, but we are also at the epicentre of the IMT-GT (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand Growth Triangle), as evidenced by the strong presence of Indonesian and Thai culture, people, and food in Penang. As such, this is something we should cultivate in order to boost the prosperity of the three countries, starting right here in Penang.
This collaboration may take place in many different forms, including the potential for trade between the three, as well as the cultural and culinary exchange that we can foster. I am sure that all of us here would love to see the melting pot of cultures, heritage and Halal food right here in Penang, and this, I strongly believe, is exactly what this Halal Festival can achieve in the years ahead.
Hence, thank you once again to the organisers, particularly Dato’ Abdul Halim and En. Fazil Irwan Som, for spearheading the first Penang International Halal Food & Heritage Festival. As demonstrated by the recently announced grant of RM1.5 million to PHI during the Penang2030 budget, you can be sure that the Penang State Government will continue to support and propel the advancement of the Halal Industry in our state.
Having said that, I am delighted to declare the Penang International Halal Food & Heritage Festival officially open!
Thank you.