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Research Summit 2011 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) on 6 -7 April 2011, to further provide insight towards the current advancement of Halal-related technologies and innovations as enablers to meet global market demand for alternative Halal ingredients. The 8th International Halal Showcase 2011 was also organized in parallel with the Halal Research Summit drawing a large crowd to the expo to see various Halal products and services showcased by Malaysia and many other participating countries. 16 and 17 April saw the 30th IMT-GT Joint Business Council (JBC) Meeting in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia, where the private sector players of IMT-GT merged, mingled and met with each other, updating themselves on the latest progress of their programmes and projects. In this meeting the JBC was more poised on pursuing more business-type and joint-venture projects. On 19 April Melaka hosted the IMT-GT Seminar in Melaka, organized jointly by the Melaka State Economic Planning Unit and the Melaka IMT-GT Secretariat. The event was organized under the Chief Ministers and Governors’ Forum (CMGF), trying to socialize IMT-GT to the businessmen in Melaka, particularly its small and medium industries. It was an earnest event, with the Chief Minister of Melaka himself participating fully in the half-day event. On 23 April, Thailand will host the 2nd IMT-GT CIQ Taskforce Meeting in Pataya, Chonburi Province. The Task Force had been earlier formed to address issues at border/entry points relating to Customs, Immigration and Quarantine by harmonizing and simplifying related regulations and procedures between the Member-Countries. As secretariat to this Task Force, CIMT will ensure that the second meeting will meet its objectives. By Dr. Hassan Ibrahim

Message from the Director

A number of notable events were happening this month reflecting the dynamism and vibrancy of IM-GT. CIMT is indeed pleased that we are able to carry out our roles dutifully in all these events. In the Halal sector, the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) of Malaysiahosted the World Halal

Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia through its agency, HALAL Industry Development Corporation (HDC) had organized the Training of Trainers (TOT) forHALALAwareness & Promoters for ASEAN Working Group on HALAL Food and IMT-GT Member Countries on HALAL Products and Services on 11 January to 14 January 2011 to increase level of awareness and know-how on current HALAL related matters. Participants also visited Kart Food Industries Sdn.Bhd. and the HALAL Product Research Institute (HPRI) in Universiti Putra Malaysia. More than 30 Senior Officials and industry players from Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia participated in this event.

Training of Trainers (ToT) For HALAL Awareness & Promoters by HDC

Airplane and logo designs ofStrategic Airlines, a fullcarrier from Australia.

Airplane and logo designs ofStrategic Airlines, a fullcarrier from Australia.

Participants with Dato’ Seri Jamil Bidin, CEO of HDC.

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The World HALAL Research Summit is an international conference which provides a platform for scientists, researchers,

scholars,academicians etc. to meet discuss and exchange ideas on new research findings, emerging technologies, trends,

issues and challenges in the global HALAL industry.

Presenting the theme of “Catalyst for Growth in the HALAL Industry”, this year’s Summit gathered close to 1,000 delegates

and participants from 94 organizations worldwide. The Summit promotes a special thrust for the benefit of its industry

players, technocrats and entrepreneurs, both local and international and aims at inspiring HALAL-related research findings in

commercially viable areas along the HALAL supply chain, which can further spur competitiveness and boost economic

growth. Through this Summit, business relationships and interaction are encouraged towards enhancing trade and

investment prospects in HALAL products and services.

Through WHR, Malaysia is recognized as the Centre for Halal Innovation & Research and Development Commercialization.

In line with its effort to focus on a more holistic approach to develop ‘a HALAL ecosystem’, HDC aims to move the HALAL

industry forward to achieve Malaysia’s vision as a Global HALAL Hub.

During the WHR Summit, several activities were also conducted. Among them are:-

(a) HDC HALAL Science Award

(b) HDC HALAL Recognition Award

(c) Poster Presentation in HALAL Science & Innovation Excellence Award

(d) Launch of world’s first syariah-compliant mobile service- collaboration with Salamfone

(e) Launch of Modern Compendium of HALAL

(f) Launch of HALAL application between HDC, Nokia and Terato

(g) MoU between HDC and Sozo Global Unlimited

(h) MoA between University Malaya(UM), RedhaCare and Imed Laband Product Launching of Alternative HALAL

Ingredient for Pharmaceutical Industry by OleoPharma (JV Company between UM and RedhaCare)

World HALAL Research Summit 2011, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia

Special Address by Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir, Deputy Minister of International Trade & Industry, Malaysia during WHR Summit 2011

.

Poster Presentation Award presented by Tun Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, Former Prime Minister of Malaysia during

Closing Ceremony of WHR Summit 2011.

The 30th IMT-GT Joint Business Council Meeting was held in Kota Bharu, Kelantan on 16-17 April 2011. Over 150 participants, including entrepreneurs were participating in the meeting which was held for the first time here. The meeting objective is to offer potential investment opportunities for entrepreneurs in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The meeting was officiated by Deputy Chairman of State Entrepreneur Development, Trade and Unity Committee, Mr. Haji Zulkifli Mamat. During his speech, he mentioned that this event would pave the way for Kelantan to become an investment destination particularly focusing on the Kelantan-Thailand new growth areas like Pengkalan Kubur - Takbai, Rantau Panjang – Pekan Sg. Golok and Bukit – Bunga Buketa. In conjunction with the event, a four-day sales exposition for products from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia was held at Dataran Kota Sultan Ismail Petra starting on 14 April 2011.

30th IMT-GT Joint Business Council Meeting in Kota Bharu, Malaysia

Mr. Haji Zulkifli Mamat,the Deputy Chairman of State Entrepreneur Development, Trade and Unity Committee of the state of Kelantan was kind officiated the 30th IMT-JBC Meeting was held in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. He thanked JBC for holding its meeting in the State of Kelantan for it was the first time that such meeting was held in the state, as in all other occasions, when such meeting was hosted in Peninsular Malaysia, the states on the west coast became a priority of choice.

Mr. Haji Zulkifli mentioned that the State of Kelantan had a lot to offer to trade and investments especially in the area of tourism and agriculture. From the economic point of view, subregional business meetings such as the IMT-GT could pave the way for Kelantan to become an investment destination particularly focusing on the Kelantan – South Thailand new growth areas like PengkalanKubor – Takbai, RantauPanjang – Sungai Golok Town and Bukit Bunga – Ban Buketa. He further expressed that when the CIQ facility at Bukit Bunga would be fully completed, together with a Free-Trade Zone and a border-township development, economic environment around Bukit Bunga and Ban Buketa could prosper.

On the night of 17 April all delegates were treated as state hosts when they were entertained personally by the MenteriBesar of Kelantan, DatukNik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat at his residence. In his welcoming speech the MenteriBesar also looked forward to further trade and investment initiatives from provinces in Indonesia and Thailand citing the business practices among different states and sects during the Prophet Mohammed’s era as the way forward for economic prosperity.

Kelantan State Looking Forward for Further Trade and Investments from Indonesia and Thailand

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ADB, CIMT and JBC delegates. Photoshoot after the speech by Mr. ZulkifiliMamat (last on right).

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The IMT-GT Seminar in Melaka was jointly organized on 19 April 2011 by the Melaka State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN-Melaka) and the newly established Melaka IMT-GT Secretariat (in Perbadanan Hang Tuah Jaya). The seminar was organized to launch the operation of the Melaka IMT-GT Secretariat and as an awareness initiative to make the IMT-GT more known to the business community in Melaka, particularly the small and medium industries. The Chief Minister of Melaka, Datuk Seri Hj. Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam, was present to grace the opening of the half-day seminar. It was Datuk Seri Hj. Mohd Ali himself, who during the 7th IMT-GT Chief Ministers and Governors’ Forum (CMGF) on 4August in Krabi, Thailand, in his role then as outgoing Chair of the CMGF, stressed upon the urgency of the states and provinces in IMT-GT to establish their own IMT-GT Secretariat in order to constantly liaise, facilitate, and coordinate plans and programmes at the state level with the national level as well as with their counterpart states and provinces in IMT-GT. To walk his talk the Chief Minister quickly made plans to set up the IMT-GT Secretariat in Melaka. To date, as made known to CIMT, only Melaka State and North Sumatera had set up their own IMT-GT State/Provincial Secretariat. Other states in Malaysia include IMT-GT as one of the port-polios in the State Economic Planning Unit. (Penang, on the other hand, had appointed a special IMT-GT Committee for the same purpose, chaired by its State Executive Councillor and Chairman of Religions Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Tuan Abdul Malik bin Abdul Kassim). The Chief Minister, in his Keynote Address, urged all business players in Melaka, including the Melaka Chambers of Commerce and the Small and Medium Enterprises, to constantly keep themselves abreast with the programmes and activities of IMT-GT as it is through such platforms and meetings that business players in Melaka could touch base with the business opportunities in the provinces in Sumatera and southern Thailand, as well as trade and investments that these provinces could bring to Melaka. The Chief Minister was present throughout the seminar, responding proactively to the various presentations made by the invited speakers, including the Director of CIMT.

Melaka’s Chief Minister Reiterates the Importance of IMT-GT to the State’s Development

The Chief Minister of Melaka giving his keynote speech. The main panel speakers and presenters of the seminar.

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Announcement 2nd CIQ Task Force Meeting Date :22 April 2011 Venue :Pattaya City,Thailand Halal Tourism Seminar Date :27 April 2011 Venue :Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia WHR Branding Date :28-29 April 2011 Venue :Bangkok,Thailand 4th Working Group on Infrastructure & Transportation (WGIT) Meeting Date :9-10May 2011 Venue :Bangkok,Thailand

Events in & around the Triangle

CIMT Bulletin Editorial Team

ADVISOR Dr Hassan Ibrahim hassan@imtgt.org

TEAM MEMBERS Ritzwan Reza Ibrahim reza@imtgt.org Hamiliana Ali hamiliana@imtgt.org Nurshiela Ismail shiela@imtgt.org

The project construction for the Ro-Ro ferry service to transport vehicles between Melaka and Dumai, Sumatera, Indonesia is expected to be completed in December 2012. The total project including the terminals on both sides of the Straits of Melaka will cost around RM11.2 million. The Melaka State Government had approved contractors Amoy Development Bhd and Melewar Integrated Engineering SdnBhd for the construction of the terminal and jetty on Melaka’s side, but is yet to receive approval from the Federal Government through the Ministry of Transport. The construction of this terminal will take 12 months. The ferry length of over 50 meters can accommodate 48 vehicles, including 138 passengers. The Ro-Ro trip from Melaka to Dumai will take over four hours with the schedule of the ferry ride once a day at 8 a.m and returning at 2 p.m. The project is expected to enhance the economic growth of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and even Singapore as tourists from Indonesia can drive their own vehicles to these three countries, and vice-versa vehicles from these countries travelling to Indonesia.

Melaka-Dumai Ro-Ro Service

A Ro-ro ferry docking in the ports.