Chairman Zahidi Abdul Rahman, Mr. Tharman, dinner and awards chairman Abdul Rohim Sarip, and Wedding Entrepreneurs Group chairman Aziz Mohammad celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a charity dinner.
A hub will be established here to help companies access the global Halal market, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman said.
At the charity dinner held by the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI), he said the center will allow companies to share resources for product development, production and distribution.
He noted that the center, jointly supported by SPRING Singapore and International Enterprise Singapore, will identify food companies wishing to expand their halal exports.
JTC, the landlord of the industrial space, will find suitable sites for the factories, he said.
He urged local companies to study the 'untapped potential' in 'internationalizing local food products,' especially the global Halal food market worth more than US$1.1 trillion (S$1.4 trillion).
'Singapore companies can play a more important role in this market, trusting the quality of Singapore products and Singapore MUIS certification,' he said.
Singapore's multicultural background can provide the needed Halal products for tourists and Muslim groups from Japan, South Korea, Africa, China and Taiwan, he noted.