Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin
PETALING JAYA: Halal Industry Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (HDC) has surpassed its target of drawing RM1 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) to the halal parks this year.
“Since 2008, the value of investments in the halal parks so far is RM6 billion,” HDC chief executive officer Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin said yesterday.
He was speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony of a memorandum of agreement between HDC and Taylor’s University here.
Jamil said the forging of the strategic alliance with Taylor’s University was in line with the government’s aspiration to make Malaysia a global halal hub.
“The global trade for halal products is less than 10 per cent, whereas the global demand for halal products is growing rapidly,” he said.
In order to supply human capital to drive the halal food industry, the university’s School of Biosciences introduced two subjects endorsed by HDC, namely ‘Introduction to Halal Food’ and ‘Principles of Halal Food Business Management’.
Taylor’s University vice chancellor and president professor Datuk Dr Hassan Said said, “The halal electives will be taught by trainers from HDC to ensure that our graduates are cmyequipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to make a difference in the food industry locally and globally, and open up a vast range of career opportunities for them.
“Students will also get hands-on exposure to the real world environment via a compulsory 10-week industrial attachment in the areas of food manufacturing and processing, nutrition science and product development,” he added.
The first intake of the Food Science and Nutrition Degree with HDC trainers would commence in March 2012. — Bernamaattestation