Government Encourages Cross-Sector Collaboration To Strengthen Halal Industry Chain In Indonesia

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the current government continues to encourage and facilitate cross-sector collaboration in developing the sharia economy including business involvement. He said that this effort was made to pursue Indonesia's target of becoming the world's halal producer.

The government, Ma'ruf said, supports the cooperation of the National Committee on Sharia Economy and Finance (KNEKS) with PT Unilever Indonesia as well as the launch of the Unilever Muslim Centre of Excellence (M-COE) program that he has just inaugurated.

"This memorandum of understanding and cooperation agreement is a strengthening of the development of halal products industry which is one of the focuses of the work of the National Committee on Sharia Economy and Finance (KNEKS)", he said at the Unilever Muslim Centre of Excellence launch event on Unilever Indonesia's YouTube channel, Thursday, April 8.

Furthermore, Ma'ruf said the Muslim Center of Excellence program for Unilever Global is a strategic step while making Unilever Indonesia a Global Hub for Unilever Halal products.

In addition, Ma'ruf also believes this effort will have a positive impact on the development of halal products in the country. This includes meeting the needs of Unilever's global markets around the world.

"These products are expected not only in the consumer goods, food and beverage industries, but also in other sectors of the Islamic economy.

Pharmaceutical industries, agricultural products and protein products industry, Muslim-friendly tourism industry, fashion, handicrafts, and other creative products", he said.

This program, said Ma'ruf, is in line with the government's strategic steps in the development of the halal products industry. Because, according to him, it is very useful to encourage the development of research and innovation of halal products.

Including, he said, the development of the halal products industry with local raw materials (domestic components), as well as strengthening the halal lifestyle in increasing the use of halal products among Indonesians.

"The government appreciates the Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence program as a form of support for large businesses in reviving and raising the class of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)", he explained.

Ma'ruf hopes that more and more entrepreneurs in Indonesia will develop businesses in the halal industry and the sharia economy will strengthen the national halal industry ecosystem.

"In the future, I hope that the Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence program will be followed by other global halal industry players, by taking concrete and implementation steps to make Indonesia the global hub of halal products in the world", he said.