30,000 visitors in two days, a new MATRADE–JAKIM pact and a halal summit launched by the Deputy Prime Minister put Malaysia’s global halal ambitions on full display
By PHUBIEYAS AHMAD
KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Sept – Malaysia is sending its trade officers abroad with a new mission: to sell the world on Malaysian halal. The plan was sealed at the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026, which enters its final day today on course to become the best-attended halal edition in the showcase’s history.
A Letter of Intent (LOI) signed between the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) establishes the Halal Development Officer (HDO) Programme under the Malaysia Halal Global Nexus (MyHGN) initiative. Under the programme, MATRADE officers stationed worldwide will guide foreign industries on Malaysia’s halal ecosystem, strengthen international recognition of Malaysian halal certification and drive halal exports.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officiated GHaS on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) on Friday.
Hosted by JAKIM, GHaS is Malaysia’s flagship platform for global halal diplomacy, governance and capacity-building, bringing together government certification bodies, Islamic scholars, policymakers and industry leaders under one roof.
Leaders from ministries and agencies across the halal ecosystem were also present, a turnout MATRADE said reflects the highest level of government commitment to positioning Malaysia as the premier global halal hub, aligning Shariah governance with international trade promotion.
Crowds on track
By the close of day two, MIHAS had drawn 30,000 business visitors, putting it firmly on track to hit its 50,000 target. This year’s edition features 1,700 exhibitors across 2,000 booths and 450 international buyers, with 58 countries represented, up from the 45 organisers had projected before the doors opened.
Organised by MATRADE and hosted by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), the four-day showcase runs until today under the theme “Shaping Trust, Driving Resilience”. MATRADE raised its sales target to RM5 billion in August, after last year’s edition closed with a record RM6.05 billion.
The showcase also carries a regional agenda. Zahid, who chairs the Halal Industry Development Council, said earlier this month that Malaysia would use MIHAS 2026 to promote a proposal for an ASEAN Halal Council, with Malaysia as its secretariat.
Women, knowledge and awards
Beyond the exhibition floor, MATRADE’s Knowledge Hub is delivering market intelligence with speakers from DHL Express Malaysia, UOB Malaysia and Farm Fresh Malaysia. The debut Women in Export (WiEX) initiative features 80 women-led booths, while the MIHAS Awards recognise achievements in product innovation, sustainability and global market expansion.
Launching WiEX earlier this month, MATRADE chairman Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said: “Every woman who thrives through this platform brings us closer to our target of RM80 billion in halal exports by 2030.”
Since its inception in 2004, MIHAS has generated more than RM35 billion in export sales and drawn over half a million business visitors. A Guinness World Records holder, the 22nd edition now spans 14 sectors, from food and beverages and pharmaceuticals to Islamic finance, modest fashion, technology and Muslim-friendly tourism.