28 Oct 2011
By June Ramlee
Published: 2011/09/07
KUALA LUMPUR: The Halal Industry Development Corp (HDC) hopes to secure investments worth RM1 billion by the year-end.
Its managing director and chief executive Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin said over 80 per cent of the targeted investments have been secured todate.
"Almost 60 per cent of it is foreign while the rest is local. The investments are mostly in the food-related industry, cosmetics and ingredients," he told repor-ters after briefing Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed on halal parks at the ministry, yesterday.
A total of RM6.02 billion in investments since 2005 have been approved for nine halal parks so far.
Among the projects approved included Coca-Cola (RM2 billion), Sea Party Technology (RM1.8 billion), PML Dairies Sdn Bhd (F&N) (RM250 million) and Carigali Palm Products Sdn Bhd (RM220 million).
Jamil said another two new halal parks would be operational by the year-end in Terengganu and in Sabah.
At present there are nine halal parks in operation, which are a combination of the private sector and the government but there are plans to open up to 20 of such parks in time to come.
On the dialogue which was chaired by Mustapa, he said it was to give the halal park stakeholders a unique platform to enhance cooperation and coordination in the sector.
"There is a need for a full engagement of both the public and private sectors to successfully develop these parks to attract more foreign direct investments and domestic direct investments into the halal industry," said Mustapa.
The participants of the dialogue totalling 40 comprised representatives from state economic development corporations, corridor development authorities, halal logistics players, operators of halal parks, tenants of halal parks and management personnel from related agencies.
Source: HDC eyes RM1b investments by Dec http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/jrhdc-2/Article/#ixzz1c3P2Fvc9
