HalalFocus

RIYADH: Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Madiyar Menilbekov, has said his mission will be dedicated to furthering Saudi-Kazakh ties in politics, trade, culture, tourism and agriculture. “As ambassador extraordinaire of the country of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I received instructions from our president to develop bilateral relations, first on the political side,” Menilbekov told Arab News.

London, UK – The highly anticipated Muslim Travel Show is set to transform ExCeL London into a travel enthusiast’s paradise on February 22nd-23rd, 2025. This groundbreaking event promises to be the ultimate destination for Muslim travellers seeking exclusive holiday deals, authentic experiences, and cultural connections. UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE TRAVEL DEALS Visitors will have unprecedented access to special show-only offers from leading travel providers, hotels, and tourism boards.

PETALING JAYA: Jordan has taken a significant step towards enhancing its halal ecosystem by partnering with Malaysia-based halal digital technology leader Serunai Commerce under the Reverse Linkage modality of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Starting May 1, 2025, products and services certified under the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) standards will be permitted to bear the “Halal” mark, following a resolution by the Cabinet of Ministers approving the certification process.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes of gold and cash and acting as an agent of Egypt — crimes his lawyer said he’s been mocked for as “Gold Bar Bob.” The judge delivered the sentence after Menendez tearfully addressed the court, saying he’d lost everything he cared about, except his family. The Democrat resigned last year after becoming one of only a handful of U.S. senators ever convicted while in office.

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Bernama The Johor state government is set to launch the Johor Halal Development Plan 2030 by March this year, signalling a major step forward for the state’s halal industry. State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the working paper for the plan is in its final stage, with RM800,000 allocated for its implementation through PIJ Halal Ventures, a subsidiary of Perbadanan Islam Johor (PIJ) Holdings.

As the central coordinator tasked with facilitating the growth of Malaysia’s halal economy, Halal Development Corporation Bhd (HDC) has implemented strategic initiatives to nurture local halal companies to become champion, and position the country as a leader in the global halal industry. One such initiative is the Halal Home Grown Champion — Sourcing Partnership Program (HSPP) that helps small and medium enterprises (SMEs) scale up to international standards.

ANTARA Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning has identified three key focus areas for developing halal products, as outlined in the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN). These areas include increasing halal product literacy, improving service quality, and strengthening collaboration in halal product assurance.

The Indonesian government has made halal certification mandatory for all products in circulation. The products in question are goods and/or services related to food, beverages, medicines, cosmetics, chemical products, biological products, genetically engineered products, and goods used, utilized, or utilized by the public. The first stage ended on October 17, 2024 for food products, beverages, slaughtered products, and slaughtering services.

by SHAUQI WAHAB  – The Malaysian Reserve THE government is aiming to welcome 6,000 tourists with IslamiCruise Malaysia-Saudia in 2026. It aligns with the country’s target to attract 35.6 million tourists, projecting RM147.1 billion in tourism revenue, under the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign. The IslamiCruise International Sdn Bhd and Saudi Arabia’s Aroya Cruises partnership was launched yesterday (Jan 22) by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.