BPJPH Affirms Prabowo's Grand Vision to Make Halal a Global Economic Power

Head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), Ahmad Haikal Hasan, has affirmed that strengthening Indonesia’s halal ecosystem is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s grand vision to make the country a major driving force in the global halal economy. He made the statement during the opening of the D-8 Halal Expo Indonesia 2026. Haikal Hasan called on D-8 member countries to strengthen collaboration in building increasingly integrated and mutually recognised halal standards. According to him, halal cannot be built in isolation but must rely on a spirit of joint collaboration, interconnectedness, and robust standards to provide broader economic benefits for the global community. “One of my big dreams is when President Prabowo Subianto has an extraordinary vision regarding halal. He established the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), which holds a ministry-level position and is connected to at least nine ministries. This is a tremendous strength,” Haikal said. He added that BPJPH translates this vision through the spirit of ‘Indonesian Halal for the World Community’. Indonesia is not only strengthening the implementation of Halal Product Assurance domestically but also taking a strategic role in building a global halal ecosystem through international cooperation. Haikal noted that halal is not a new concept in Indonesia, with government attention dating back to the era of President Soeharto, and has since evolved into a stronger, more comprehensive Halal Product Assurance system. He stressed that the mandatory halal certification is a crucial momentum to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesian products in the global market while increasing consumer trust. At the same forum, Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta stated that the D-8 HEI 2026 is a tangible manifestation of the government’s efforts to integrate domestic economic strength with the Islamic world. The D-8 Secretary-General also praised Indonesia’s initiative as a catalyst for expanding investment and strengthening research within the global halal industry ecosystem. The five-day event features trade exhibitions, business matching, and panel discussions. Executive Director of KNEKS, Sholahudin Al Aiyub, explained that the forum is specifically designed to produce concrete business collaborations, knowledge exchanges, and trade transactions. The realisation of D-8 HEI 2026 stems from President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment at the 11th D-8 Summit in Cairo on 19 December 2024, where he emphasised the urgency of building a halal value chain and affirmed Indonesia’s commitment to becoming a global halal economy hub. The D-8 was established in 1997 and currently comprises nine member states with a combined population of 1.3 billion people and a total GDP of USD 5.1 trillion.