Malaysia and Indonesia have announced the creation of a bilateral Halal Council to reduce regulatory barriers between the two largest halal markets in South-East Asia. For an Italian food company that exports — or wants to export — to both countries, a new scenario is opening up: less bureaucratic duplication, but also new compliance expectations. Here is what it means in practice.
Anyone who has already gone through halal certification for Indonesia knows how different the route to BPJPH recognition is from what JAKIM requires in Malaysia. Different forms, separate procedures, audit requirements that do not always overlap. Until now, an Italian company wanting to sell in both countries effectively had to manage two parallel processes, often with doubled timelines and costs.
On 25 September 2026, on the sidelines of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2026) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced the creation of the Malaysia-Indonesia Halal Council, a bilateral body with the stated aim of harmonising requirements and procedures to facilitate cross-border trade in halal products between the two countries. The news was reported by Halal Times and confirmed by Salaam Gateway.
Malaysia and Indonesia are two of the most important Islamic markets in the world. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population on the planet; Malaysia is the global benchmark for halal standards and is home to JAKIM, one of the most internationally recognised accreditation bodies. HQC Italia is recognised by both: by BPJPH and MUI for Indonesia, and by JAKIM for Malaysia.
The creation of a bilateral Council is not a purely diplomatic matter: it has direct implications for anyone exporting, or planning to export, to these markets. Let us look at them.
The first step, if it has not already been taken, is to check which certification body you work with and whether that body is recognised by both JAKIM and BPJPH. Not all European bodies hold both recognitions. HQC Italia holds both, which means a company certified by HQC can export to Malaysia and Indonesia with a single certification partner.
The second step is not to wait for harmonisation to be completed before starting the process. Bilateral recognition processes take time; companies already certified when the new rules come into force will start ahead, both in terms of market access and in terms of reputation with local buyers.
The third element to consider is internal documentation: a company that wants to be ready for a harmonised halal system needs well-structured supply-chain control procedures, batch records and ingredient management. These aspects are assessed during halal audits and become even more important when the standards of two countries are integrated.
MIHAS 2026 marked a further evolution of the global halal market: as reported by Halal Times, the awards given to participating companies began to recognise not only product quality but also digital transformation and supply-chain traceability. The signal is clear: the halal market is becoming more sophisticated, and Italian companies that want to compete must keep pace with this maturity.
Halal certification is no longer just a bureaucratic requirement for clearing customs: it is an element of commercial positioning in an ecosystem worth billions of euros that is rapidly building its own governance infrastructure at regional and global level.
HQC Italia, the first halal certification body in Europe since 1983 and recognised by JAKIM (Malaysia), BPJPH and MUI (Indonesia), MUIS (Singapore) and CICOT (Thailand), provides a free quote within 24 hours. If you are considering entering the South-East Asian market or want to check whether your current certification covers both markets, now is the right time to do so.
Source: Halal Times, 25 September 2026; HalalFocus, 25 September 2026.
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