Lampung (BPJPH) --- The 17th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) 2023 Working Group on Halal Products and Services (WGHAPAS) and The 3rd Strategic Halal Industry Collaboration Task Force (SHICTF) was officially started. Opening the two meetings, the Head of BPJPH of the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, who is also the Chairman of WGHAPAS, Muhammad Aqil Irham, invited the IMG-GT forum to continue to foster cooperation to strengthen innovation and transfer of technology in the field of Halal Product Assurance or Jaminan Produk Halal (JPH).
"The 17th IMT-GT WGHAPAS meeting and the 3rd SHICTF Meeting are strategic forums for cooperation between Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand in the field of halal products. We hope that the meeting in which Indonesia is the chair of the IMT-GT WGHPAS can inspire this innovative program for the next 2 to 3 years." said Aqil Irham, opening the IMT-GT WGHAPAS and SHICTF 2023 forums in Bandar Lampung, Sunday night (2/7/2023).
Strengthening synergies for innovation and technology utilization in the halal product industry, according to Aqil, is very important. This is because the IMT-GT WGHAPAS and SHICTF forums have strategic contributions to halal products for their three member countries to strengthening economic resilience. Moreover, the strengthening of this trilateral synergy is also relevant to the challenges ahead that demand fast, more inclusive and sustainable economic growth in an era of uncertainty.
"Strengthening synergy is also in line with President Joko Widodo's directions at the 15th IMT-GT Summit in the last May, that there are three important things for the development of cooperation, namely industry downstreaming, development of the halal industry, and green economy." said Aqil explained.
"Regarding the development of the halal industry, the large potential of the halal market is also one of the advantages in efforts to build a halal ecosystem. In addition, the process efficiency and acceleration of halal certification, including for MSEs, joint promotion of halal products, and technological innovation in supporting the halal industry, we need to continue to encourage those all to be identified and developed.” said Aqil.
For this reason, Aqil expressed his joy at this forum having attended with all delegations and stakeholder representatives. Including representatives from universities, business actors, associations, Halal Inspection Agencies or LPH, consortium of halal laboratories, as IMT-GT stakeholders who are expected to mutually strengthen collaboration on halal products.
"We hope that this first meeting as our chairman of the IMT-GT WGHPAS in Lampung can inspire our innovative programs for the next 2-3 years." said Aqil.
Having the meeting in Lampung, Aqil also invite all members of the delegation to take advantage of the time to enjoy the natural beauty as well as the culinary flavors of Sumatra.
"Beyond the agenda of the meeting, I also invite you to enjoy the natural beauty and flavors of Sumatra, especially the halal and delicious Lampung specialties, Lampung durian, as well as various halal souvenirs typical of Lampung." he said.
T 17th IMT-GT WGHAPAS and The 3rd SHICTF meeting was attended by the Director of the Center for IMTGT Subregional Cooperation Firdaus Dahlan, the Assistant Deputy for Regional and Sub Regional Cooperation of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Netty Muharni, the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) Prime Minister's Department Malaysia Mohd Shaharin bin Umar, the Director of International Strategy and Coordination Division National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) Kingdom of Thailand Thuttai Keeratipongpaiboon, Senior Director of Industrial Development Division Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia Hanafi Sakri, the Founding Director of the Halal Science Center Chulalongkorn University Thailand Winai Dahlan, the Chairman of IMTGT UNINET Roziah Mohd Janor, IPU Focal IMTGT UNINET Indonesia Marwan, and the IPU Focal IMTGT UNINET Thailand Niwat Keawpradub, the Head of Center for Halal Cooperation and Standardization BPJPH Abdul Syakur, the EA Chuzaemi Abidin, the Head of Center for Halal Registration and Certification Siti Aminah, the Head of Center for Guidance and Supervision of JPH Dzikro, the Acting Head of Regional Office Erwinto, and the Head of Provincial Halal Product Assurance Service Task Force Lampung Marwansyah.
According to the agenda, The 17th IMT-GT WGHAPAS and The 3rd SHICTF Forum will be held for the next two days until July 4 2023 in Novotel Bandar Lampung. In addition to the discussion agenda, the activity is also filled with participant visits to a number of MSEs center locations, LPH , and the locations of the production of halal products. The activity was also enlivened by the presence of a halal product bazaar participated by MSEs in Lampung. []