ECER, UDM Ink MoU To Develop Halal Products

February 16, 2009 19:12 PM

ECER, UDM Ink MoU To Develop Halal Products

KUALA TERENGGANU, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- The East Coast Economic Region (ECER) Development Council Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia (UDM) to develop halal products in the region.

ECER chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace John said the MoU would strengthen ECER's commitment to implement all the projects identified under UDM's three centres of excellence -- Regional Centre for Halal Products, Bio-Technology and Herbal Products Centre and Centre for Industrial Academic Cooperation (CIAC).

"The MoU will help ECER identify competitive advantage in the halal food industry through regional development centres for halal products and centres for biotechnology products and herbs," he said at the signing ceremony.

Jebasingam signed for ECER while UDM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Alias Daud inked for the university. Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said witnessed the signing.

Under the ECER master plan, the UDM would be turned into a centre of excellence for halal product development in the region, Jebasingam said.

"The first initiative is to introduce the services provided by UDM as a regional centre for halal products and a centre for biotechnology and herbs for small-and medium-scale companies, he said.

Dr Alias said through the Agriculture and Biotechnology Faculty, the UDM received recognition from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to set up the biotechnology and herbal research centre and ECER regional halal products centre.

"UDM adopts the principle of university expansion. This policy enables the people to have access to the university to solve their problems, especially with regard to crops, livestock, household economy and youths," he added.

-- BERNAMA