MIHAS is widely known as the world’s largest halal trade exhibition, but the event is actually just one component of a much bigger initiative: the Global Halal Summit (GHaS) 2026, a collaboration between the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), along with several other agencies, aimed at positioning Malaysia as a global halal hub.
What is GHaS?
GHaS is Malaysia’s national platform to strengthen its position as a global leader and benchmark for the halal industry. The initiative is a joint collaboration between JAKIM and MITI together with its agencies, MATRADE, the Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC), and the Department of Standards Malaysia (JSM), further strengthened by the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and the Halal Products Research Institute (IPPH) of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
Programmes Under the GHaS 2026 Umbrella
- Halal Certification Bodies Convention (HCBC): held 22–23 September 2026 under the theme “Shariah and Integrity: Empowering Halal Ecosystem.” It brings together halal authorities, certification bodies, academics, and industry players to discuss contemporary issues such as shariah auditing, the use of alcohol in food and beverage products, cultured meat, halal vaccine certification, Islamic finance, import-export regulations, and procedures for recognising foreign halal certification bodies.
- International Halal Technical Capacity Development Programme (IHTCDP): capacity-building sessions covering food & beverage, food services, cosmetics & pharmaceuticals, and halal logistics, including certification requirements, halal assurance standards, critical ingredients, sampling and analysis, halal crisis management, and traceability.
- MIHAS 2026: the flagship trade component, held 23–26 September at MITEC under the theme “Shaping Trust, Driving Resilience,” spanning 14 industry sectors and featuring Agentic AI capabilities for business matching.
- World Halal Business Conference (WHBC): organised by HDC.
- Public consultation on the MS2807 Sertu standard: led by the Department of Standards Malaysia (JSM).
- Islamic Tourism Month: a series of activities organised by the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC).
- Malaysia International Halal Research and Education Conference (MIHREC): led by IPPH, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), featuring programmes, colloquiums, workshops, and forums.
Why This Approach Matters
JAKIM Director General Dato’ Dr. Sirajuddin Suhaimee emphasised that GHaS serves to unite halal authorities, certification bodies, academia, and industry leaders under a shared vision of integrity and innovation, including addressing contemporary challenges around fiqh issues, new food technologies, and global regulatory standardisation. Meanwhile, MATRADE CEO Dato’ Indera Abu Bakar Yusof highlighted how homegrown Malaysian technological innovation, including the AI capabilities at MIHAS 2026, further strengthens this positioning.
What Does This Mean for MIHAS Visitors?
While MIHAS visitors mainly interact directly with the trade exhibition floor, knowing that the event is part of a much broader framework, spanning certification, research, standards, and education, adds useful context on just how seriously Malaysia is building a credible halal ecosystem. This is relevant for Muslim travellers who want to understand the standards behind the halal products they encounter.
Moslem Journey will continue following MIHAS 2026 as part of this broader GHaS 2026 initiative. Stay tuned for full coverage.
