KUCHING: Sarawak's micro and small entrepreneurs (SMEs) have been urged to venture into wider markets, including the halal industry, which holds immense potential internationally.

Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said that entrepreneurs must understand the required prerequisites and standards to penetrate the halal market — not only within the food and agrifood sectors, but also encompassing the fashion industry and other product categories.

He noted that the halal market offers vast opportunities provided local entrepreneurs are capable of satisfying the demands and standards of international markets.

“Consider for a moment the Muslim population alone. In Saudi Arabia, how many people perform Umrah and the Hajj pilgrimage?

“During these peak seasons alone, how many bottles of beverages do they require — especially in hot weather, during the summer season?

“If we can capture just two percent of that market, how much would that be? How many millions or hundreds of millions in total?

“The halal industry is vast; if I am not mistaken, it is currently valued at over USD3 trillion. That encompasses the entire halal market, not just beverages,” he said while speaking at the officiating ceremony of the 2026 Welfare Micro-Entrepreneurs Award Ceremony at the Metrocity Event Centre here on Sunday.

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah remarked that local products such as handicrafts, food, beverages, and fashion possess strong potential for marketing in countries with high demand for halal products.

Accordingly, he said, entrepreneurs must elevate the quality of their products and services to comply with international market standards, where consumers are willing to pay a premium for high-quality items.

He also urged entrepreneurs to leverage training programmes organized by government departments and the private sector to enhance their skills and improve product and service quality.

In the meantime, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah disclosed that fields such as pharmaceuticals and medicine also hold potential for exploration in collaboration with the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, leveraging various research efforts and resources available in Sarawak.

He added that entrepreneurs should not confine their focus strictly to village-level or Sarawak-wide markets, but should instead explore opportunities across broader global markets.

He also informed that efforts are currently underway to provide space and opportunities for local products and services to be marketed in supermarkets, hypermarkets, and shopping malls established by the private sector.

“This is the opportunity. I want to see our small and medium entrepreneurs, including those at the micro level, capitalize on opportunities stemming from ongoing investments so that we can supply the required products, provide the necessary food, and offer essential services,” he added.

Also present were Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Deputy Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak Datuk Dr. Mohamad Razi Sitam, MINTRED Advisor Dato Sri Naroden Majais, and Director of the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS) Semawi Mohamad. — UKASnews

Prepared by: Ahmad Daniel Faiz
Translator: Ryan Lim