Hawzah News Agency –In terms of creating a significant Halal industry, Indonesia has lagged behind its neighbor, Malaysia. However, the government has been urging local governments and government agencies to expand halal-related commercial activity in the country for some time.

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin made the statements during a speech at the 33rd commemoration of the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) on Tuesday.

“The government will encourage the establishment of LPH to strengthen JPH, as well as efforts to accelerate the development of the halal industry,” Amin affirmed.

LPH, along with the MUI and the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, would play an essential role in carrying out the function of halal certification for domestic products, he stated.

According to him, LPH is also anticipated to assist company owners, particularly micro, small, and medium businesses (MSMEs), in obtaining halal certification for their products.

“LPHs that are spread throughout many regions will be important to encourage and facilitate business owners to obtain halal certificates for their products, including serving more than 64 million MSMEs in Indonesia,” Amin added.

The government, for its part, has stepped up efforts to accomplish Indonesia’s ambition of being the global halal industry’s hub by 2024. This means that the government must pursue halal certification of domestic products as soon as possible, he added.

“Currently, we are in a race against time to realize two big jobs in 2024, namely the obligation of halal certification for all food and beverage products, as well as the vision of Indonesia as the center of the world’s halal product industry,” Amin said.