[PHNOM PENH POST]
CAMBODIA was taking the first steps to regulate the processing of halal
food in order to serve both domestic and regional markets, Ministry of
Commerce Secretary of State Mao Thora said.
The ministry was
establishing a task force in conjunction with the Cambodia Islamic
Association to discuss the requirements for a potential law regarding
halal food, or food prepared according to Islamic law, he said.
“We’ve
had one meeting to discuss the task force prior to submitting our
report to the Council of Ministers for official approval as to how big
it should be and how it should function,” Mao Thora said.
“Now we are preparing the legislation and organising the task force to conduct the necessary research.”
Even
though Cambodia has not produced government-certified halal food in the
past, Mao Thora said some manufacturers described their products as
halal.
Although he doubted that Cambodian halal products would be
exported to the Middle East, he said nearby countries with big Muslim
populat-ions, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, were target markets.
Cambodian
Islamic Community Development Foundation president Othsman Hassan said
the goal was to set up only one institution to deal with the legal
aspects of managing halal food production in Cambodia. It is needed to
attract halal-related business to the Kingdom.
“Once we have that legitimacy, outside investors will come,” he said.
Othsman
Hassan pointed to other countries with small Muslim populations, such
as Australia and Brazil, that produce halal food, often for export.
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