Media Center

As lead country of the WG, Thailand presented the report of the 1^st WG on Halal Products and Services (WGHAPAS). The WG discussed the structure and rationale of the WG after its establishment based on the new Roadmap for IMT-GT cooperation, and the WG's past and ongoing activities. The meeting agreed that HAPAS should operate as one Working Group encompassing all activities without the subgroups, though it agreed to consider for later JBC's proposal for the creation of a subgroup for products and services. The meeting also noted the ongoing projects of HAPAS in each country, such as: the IMT-GT Halal Laboratory Network which will offer more training courses by Halal Science Centre, Chulalongkorn University in 2008; and preparations for the International Halal Science Symposium to be held in Malaysia in November 2007 and in Indonesia in 2008; activities of Halal Science Centre, Bogor Agricultural Institute (Indonesia) including the annual IMT-GT Halal Food and Products Expo, Halal Scientific and Networking and website of Halal Products; and the short and long-term programme of the ongoing project on Halal scientific, academic networking, linking institutions in the subregion (led by Halal Products Research Institute of Universiti Putra Malaysia). The Meeting expressed appreciation for new projects under WGHAPAS, namely: publication of Halal Insight Magazine (the Halal Science Centre, Chulalongkorn University); initiation of IMT-GT Halal Minimart project (Andaman Halal Industry Group of Thailand); and setting up of Penang Halal Logistics Hub (Century Logistics, Penang, Malaysia).