Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr.. (HC.) K. H. Ma'ruf Amin encouraged Indonesia not only to become the world's largest halal consumer which reaches 10 percent, but also to become a halal producer in the world. This is the basis for the holding of the International Halal Congress (KHI) on June 14-18, 2022 in Bangka Belitung.
"Therefore, the Government of Indonesia through the National Committee for Sharia Economy and Finance, we are making efforts to try to make Indonesia a world halal producer in 2024," said the Vice President when opening the 2022 KHI activities, in Bangka Belitung, (14/6/2022).
Some time ago, said the Vice President, the Committee had taken one new step, namely: moving faster to realize Indonesia as the halal center of the world. According to him, the acceleration to realize Indonesia as the world's halal center must continue to be carried out, even not only at the central level, but also at the regional level.
Meanwhile, reporting from the official website of the MUI (mui.or.id), the Chairman of the MUI for Sharia and Halal Economics as well as the Chairman of the KHI Steering Committee, K.H. Sholahuddin Al-Aiyub, said that this activity has a very strategic relevance and purpose. With the theme "Acceleration of Increasing the Contribution of Halal Products and Halal Tourism in Realizing Indonesia as a World Halal Producer Center", this congress is expected to be a form of MUI's support to the government to realize Indonesia as the world's halal center.
"One of the agendas of this Congress is to welcome what has been launched by the government, that in 2024 Indonesia will become the halal center of the world," explained Sholahuddin Al-Aiyub.
Data from the Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/2021 states that Muslim consumer spending on halal food and beverages, halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as Muslim-friendly tourism and halal lifestyle in 2019 reached a value of 2.2 trillion US dollars. Meanwhile, the consumption of Indonesian halal products in 2019 reached 144 billion US dollars.
This figure makes Indonesia the largest consumer in this sector. Meanwhile, in the tourism sector, Indonesia occupies the 6th position in the world with a transaction value of 11.2 billion US dollars. In the Muslim fashion sector, total consumption in Indonesia reached 16 billion US dollars and Indonesia's halal pharmaceutical and cosmetics sector ranked 6th and 2nd with total expenditures of 5.4 billion A dollars and 4 billion US dollars, respectively.
"The government has launched a road map for Indonesia as the world's leading halal producer in 2024. There are also many community groups and halal activists. Therefore, what is needed is synergy (at-tansiq), collaboration (at-ta'awun), mutual strengthening (at-taqwiyah) of stakeholders, industry players, activists, and the wider community in order to encourage the immediate realization of Indonesia as a leading halal producer in the world," explained Sholahuddin Al-Aiyub.
In this case, the Institute for the Study of Food, Medicines, and Cosmetics of the Indonesian Ulema Council (LPPOM MUI) has also made various efforts in encouraging Indonesia to become the world's halal center in 2024. One of them, LPPOM MUI has obtained the SNI ISO / IEC 17025: 2017 Accreditation Certificate for Halal Laboratories in 2016 and SNI ISO / IEC 17065: 2012 for Halal Certification Bodies in 2018.
Through KAN, LPPOM MUI has also been recognized by an overseas halal certification body, the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) on the UAE standard 2055:2-2016. With this accreditation, LPPOM MUI as the first and most trusted Halal Inspection Agency (LPH) in Indonesia has proven its credibility both at the national and international levels and has also supported Indonesian business actors to expand the market to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The KHI was held in collaboration with the Central Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) with the Bangka Belitung Provincial MUI, the Bangka Belitung Provincial Government, and the Regency/City Government in Bangka Belitung. Attending this event were the MUI Fatwa Commission from all over Indonesia, halal activists throughout Indonesia, LPPOM MUI throughout Indonesia, halal inspection agencies throughout Indonesia, halal and halal tourism stakeholders throughout Indonesia, as well as international halal certification bodies. (*)
