SHAH ALAM: Agencies involved in the halal certification process should try to simplify the procedures and regulations, especially to assist Malay Muslim entrepreneurs, said Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar.
"As the minister responsible for looking after entrepreneurs, I hope the certification process will be simplified as the applicants are Malay Muslim traders; it is highly unlikely that they would want to sell non-halal goods," he told reporters after attending a dialogue session with entrepreneurs during the Selangor Keluarga Malaysia Aspirations Tour (JAKM) here yesterday.
According to him, entrepreneurs often raise this issue and his ministry has a special unit to guide them in obtaining halal certification.
"I have raised this issue in Cabinet, but the problem persists. I am asking the relevant parties to kindly review the procedures and rules to simplify the process; we want entrepreneurs to make a comeback," Noh said.
The dialogue session was also attended by Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Muslimin Yahaya, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (KUSKOP) secretary-general Datuk Suriani Ahmad, and representatives from 11 agencies under the ministry.
The three-day Selangor Keluarga Malaysia Aspirations Tour kicked off yesterday with various interesting programmes and activities planned for visitors.
Organised by KUSKOP, the eighth edition of the event themed "Malaysian Family Entrepreneurs Driving the National Economy" saw the participation of about 100 small and medium industry entrepreneurs.--BERNAMA