Written by Dr. Abdul Rahim Abdul Wahid
Kuala Lumpur – The 21st edition of Malaysia International Halal Showcase “MIHAS 2025” kicked off in the Malaysian capital with the launch of its International Sourcing Program (INSP), generating more than 4,000 business meetings and targeting sales worth RM2.5 billion. The virtual component of the program will continue until 4 November, providing Malaysian exporters with further opportunities to connect with international buyers. The event, held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), has marked a strong start, reinforcing Malaysia’s global leadership in the halal economy.
The INSP brought together 300 international buyers from 50 countries across all regions, including 50 premium buyers (leading importers and hypermarket chains) and 150 virtual buyers, connecting them with 600 Malaysian exporters. The initiative facilitated over 4,000 one-on-one business meetings, with projected sales reaching USD 596 million.
Broader Global Participation from Buyers
This year’s physical edition saw wide and diverse regional participation from buyers, including:
- China and Northeast Asia: 86 buyers (29%)
- South Asia: 75 buyers (25%)
- ASEAN: 60 buyers (20%)
- Africa: 36 buyers (12%)
- Americas and Europe: 25 buyers (8%)
- Central and Western Asia: 18 buyers (6%)
The exhibition also welcomed buyers from new markets such as Algeria, Congo, Costa Rica, Ghana, Mali, Norway, and Panama, significantly expanding the global footprint of MIHAS. The top buyer markets included China (39 companies), Bangladesh (39), and Nepal (16).
Opening Doors to New Markets
Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Chairman of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), said:“The results reaffirm the role of MIHAS and the INSP in driving Malaysia’s global trade agenda. It has attracted one of the most regionally diverse buyer groups ever, connecting Malaysian exporters to buyers from both established and new markets, including countries like Algeria, Costa Rica, and Norway. This further strengthens Malaysia’s position as a bridge between ASEAN and the global halal economy. It is a testament to Malaysia’s standing as a global leader in the halal economy, backed by the credibility of our halal ecosystem, our world-class certification standards, competitive supply chains, and the capability of our exporters to deliver high-quality halal products and services.”
Building Long-Term Global Partnerships
“It is evident that international buyers are increasingly looking to MIHAS as a prime platform to source a wide range of halal products, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, palm oil products, ready-to-eat food, beverages, as well as services in distribution, logistics, Islamic finance, and education,” Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said: added.
The INSP at MIHAS 2025 also saw the inaugural integration of the MADANI Digital Trade (MDT) Platform, an AI-powered innovation designed to seamlessly connect businesses, enhance trade matchmaking, and boost halal trade opportunities worldwide. Using artificial intelligence algorithms, the platform intelligently matches Malaysian exporters with targeted international buyers based on real-time data, market trends, and business preferences.
This innovative move aligns with Malaysia’s broader digital transformation efforts under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and the National Trade Blueprint (NTBp), while supporting MATRADE’s commitment to empowering micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with advanced digital tools to expand their global reach.
Echoing this, MATRADE Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Sri Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz emphasised that INSP MIHAS is about building long-term business linkages: “The 4,000 meetings conducted today are not just transactions, but opportunities for Malaysian exporters to forge lasting partnerships in high-value markets. This is how we position Malaysian Halal products and services as trusted global brands. One of the key strengths of INSP MIHAS is MATRADE’s ability to leverage our network of 48 overseas trade offices to carefully curate and pre-qualify buyers, which ensures that the business meetings are highly targeted, connecting Malaysian companies with buyers who have genuine demand. This, in turn, leads to successful business deals and long-lasting partnerships.”
It is evident that international buyers increasingly see MIHAS as the ideal platform to source various Halal products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, palm oil products, prepared food as well as beverages, as well as services in areas such as distribution & logistics, Islamic financial services, and education.
INSP MIHAS 2025 also saw the inaugural integration of the AI-powered MADANI Digital Trade (MDT) platform, a groundbreaking innovation designed to seamlessly connect businesses, optimise trade matchmaking and enhance global halal trade opportunities. Leveraging AI algorithms, the
platform intelligently matches Malaysian exporters with targeted international buyers, based on real- time data, market trends and business preferences.
This innovative move aligns with Malaysia’s broader national digitalisation efforts and its vision under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and the National Trade Blueprint (NTBp). It also supports MATRADE’s commitment to empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
with cutting-edge digital tools to expand their global reach.
The business-matching between local exporters and international buyers through flagship programme’s virtual component is open until 5 November 2025, facilitating seamless connections anytime, anywhere.
