GEORGE TOWN: Penang recorded 1,809 holders of the Malaysian Halal Certification (SPHM) this year compared with 1,729 holders last year.
Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid said the increase in the number of SPHM holders painted a positive picture of awareness by businesses and entrepreneurs to obtain halal certification for their products.
"In Malaysia, the application for the Malaysian Halal Certification is voluntary in nature.
"The statistics of SPHM holders in Penang within three years is 1,435 people in 2021; 1,729 in 2022 and 1,809 in 2023," he said in his winding up speech at the state legislative assembly sitting here today.
Mohamad (PKR-Batu Maung) said, besides the SPHM holders, the number of halal certificate applications also increased, namely 1,015 in 2021; 1,031 in 2022 and 920 until October this year.
Mohamad said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) is currently improving and upgrading the MYeHALAL system to ensure it is more customer friendly and that effort is expected to further help increase the number of SPHM holders in Penang in particular.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said the state government had allocated as much as RM21.48 million for the development of the Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIPP) for the purpose of building, repairing and upgrading mosques, suraus and religious schools.
He said the state government is also committed in ensuring that children in the state continue to be given proper religious education by allocating RM7.4 million under Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR).