KOTA KINABALU, October 12, 2025 — The Halal Franchise Conference 2025, held in Sabah’s capital on Saturday, marked a new strategic milestone in strengthening Malaysia’s position as a regional hub for halal franchise development.
Organised by Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PERNAS) with the support of the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), the conference gathered over 500 participants, including entrepreneurs, government agencies, and industry players from across the nation — making it one of the largest events of its kind in East Malaysia.
The conference was officiated by Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Datuk Ewon Benedick, alongside PERNAS Chairman, Datuk Mohamed Rozhan Mohd Ghazalli, and representatives from various agencies and industry sectors.
In his keynote address, Datuk Ewon emphasized that the conference represents a continuation of the KUSKOP–PERNAS Halal Success Development Programme 2025, which has made a significant impact on nearly 1,000 entrepreneurs nationwide, including 500 participants from Sabah.
“This programme not only strengthens entrepreneurs’ competitiveness through halal certification and product development but also expands their access to international markets through innovation and technology,” he said.
According to him, KUSKOP through PERNAS continues to implement a series of value-driven initiatives to enhance Malaysia’s halal industry chain. Key initiatives include:
- Halal Industry Capacity Development Programme, benefiting over 1,000 entrepreneurs;
- Halal Product Capacity Development Programme, assisting 76 entrepreneurs in branding and packaging improvement;
- Halal Innovation and Technology Programme, supporting 47 entrepreneurs through financing and digitalization mentoring; and
- Halal Entrepreneur Internationalisation Programme, which has enabled 143 entrepreneurs to penetrate overseas markets.
As of October 2025, the Halal Entrepreneurship Development Programme (PPKH) under KUSKOP has recorded 1,049 entrepreneurs as beneficiaries — reflecting the ministry’s policy effectiveness in driving domestic halal sector growth.
Datuk Ewon also highlighted Sabah’s strong potential as a gateway for Malaysian halal franchises to expand into ASEAN and global markets, citing its strategic geographical location, rich natural resources, and resilient entrepreneurial culture.
The two-day conference featured industry forums, success story sharing sessions with leading halal franchise entrepreneurs, business matching activities, and an interactive dialogue session with Datuk Ewon Benedick and industry figures to discuss challenges and future prospects of the halal franchise sector.
The Halal Franchise Conference 2025 is expected to serve as a key catalyst for Malaysia’s halal franchise growth, reinforcing collaboration between government agencies and the private sector, while supporting the Unity Government’s aspiration to empower entrepreneurs — particularly in Sabah, as a vital node in the ASEAN halal network.
