Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has expressed the hope that the halal product industry will flourish on Madura Island, East Java, where Islamic values and lifestyles have flourished and have been embraced by most residents for long.
“The Islamic values firmly upheld by locals is a good start for the advancement of halal lifestyle in the region. We hope the halal product industry will also develop in Madura,” he said while inaugurating the Halal Centre at Trunojoyo Madura University in Bangkalan district, East Java, on Thursday.
Food and beverage, agriculture, tourism, fisheries, and other industry sectors still have a great potential to be developed as halal products, he pointed out.
He urged government officials to make Madura residents the subjects of halal industry development on the island, and asked the East Java government to conceive strategic plans to ensure halal industry development benefits local residents.
“We hope the halal industry development in Madura Island will involve local residents as the development subject by involving micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on the island,” the Vice President said.
He also urged Madura residents to involve themselves in halal industry development as industry actors instead of being mere spectators or consumers to the industry’s growth.
“We should not let Madura residents only become spectators to the halal industry development and growth in their own home,” Amin remarked.
The Vice President also asked the East Java provincial government to enhance connectivity and access from Madura Island to the provincial capital and the nearest major urban region, Surabaya.
“The provincial government must optimize the connectivity between Madura Island and Surabaya city to enhance the local economic value, particularly for Madura residents,” Amin said.— Antara
