MARA aims to open industrial complex in every state

KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat ( MARA) plans to open an industrial complex in every state to attract more local entrepreneurs to participate in the global halal market.

Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister, Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said so far, seven complexes in the country had been categorised as halal parks as part of efforts to realise the mission.

“One of the main focuses is to encourage local entrepreneurs to join the global halal market which has an annual worth of RM7.4 trillion, while the export value of halal products from Malaysia is only RM37.7 billion.

He said this to reporters after the official opening of the Kompleks Industri Makanan MARA (KIMAR) or MARA Food Industry Complex in Batu Caves, near, here, yesterday.

KIMAR offers 19 factory lots for products churned out by entrepreneurs with facilities which meet the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

These complexes are also found in Tambun ( Perak), Pengkalan Chepa ( Kelantan), Kuala Perlis ( Perlis), Demak Laut ( Sarawak) and Taman Pengeluar Produk Usahawan ( TPPU) in Pedas (Negeri Sembilan).

Nanta said KIMAR products were found in the local hypermarkets such as Mydin, Giant and Tesco, and had also penetrated international markets such as Singapore and Saudi Arabia. — Bernama