On 3 February 2026, H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, was invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of the International Halal Economic Conference (IHEC) 2026, organised for the first time by the World Islamic Economy Development (WIED) at the Tenera Hotel & Suite, Bangi, Selangor. YAB Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation of Malaysia, presided over the Opening Ceremony and delivered a keynote address; while Tan Sri Dato' Sri Dr. Yusof bin Haji Md Noor, Chairman of WIED, delivered welcoming remarks. The event was well-attended by WIED executives and representatives from the public, private and academic sectors, with a total of more than 200 participants.

 

In his keynote address, the Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed the MADANI Government’s commitment to advancing a comprehensive halal industry ecosystem through enhancing Malaysia’s halal certification in line with the global standards, including the SMICC of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); strengthening certification pathways for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); supporting research, innovation, and infrastructure investment in the growing global halal industry; and finalising Malaysia’s National Halal Policy by mid-2026; while emphasising the important of international cooperation, particularly on the mutual recognition of halal certificates and strengthening the global halal supply chain.

 

On this occasion, the Ambassador met with the Deputy Prime Minister and WIED executives to exchange views on advancing Thailand - Malaysia halal cooperation, especially on facilitating halal certificate applications for Thai businesses and enhancing trade and investment in halal sectors through participating in relevant joint activities. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his appreciation to the Ambassador for her continued efforts to promote cooperation with Malaysia, and reaffirmed readiness to work closely together to streng