The government plans to make the Halal Industry Development Corporation professional certification body. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim said the corporation (HDC) is only seven months old but steps are being taken to develop HDC as pioneer in the local halal industry.

“HDC is not just producing the halal certification. It is also in charge of industry development, branding and promotion of the halal goods,” said Mashitah in reply to a supplementary question by Dr Puad Zarkashi (BN-Batu Pahat).

Puad recommended that HDC serve as a professional certification body like Sirim, where it monitors, conduct studies and produces halal logos that cannot be easily duplicated.

Mashitah was earlier replying to a question from Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) on the rationale behind placing HDC under the Ministry of Finance.