Malaysia Extends Virtual Sourcing Platform to November, Expanding Global Opportunities

17 September 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: The International Sourcing Programme (INSP), in collaboration with the 21st Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2025, concluded today on a strong note, reaffirming Malaysia’s leadership in the global halal economy.

Held at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC), INSP MIHAS 2025 attracted 300 physical international buyers from 50 countries across all regions, including 50 premium buyers (importers and leading hypermarket chains), alongside 150 virtual buyers. These participants connected with 600 Malaysian exporters, facilitating over 4,000 one-to-one business meetings with a sales target of RM2.5 billion.

This year’s physical event featured a highly diverse and regionally balanced group of buyers, with participation from China and North East Asia (86 buyers, 29%), South Asia (75 buyers, 25%), ASEAN (60 buyers, 20%), Africa (36 buyers, 12%), the Americas and Europe (25 buyers, 8%), and Central and West Asia (18 buyers, 6%). Additionally, buyers from new markets such as Algeria, Congo, Costa Rica, Ghana, Mali, Norway, and Panama were welcomed, significantly broadening MIHAS’s global reach. The leading sourcing nations were China (39 companies), Bangladesh (39), and Nepal (16).

MATRADE Chairman Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican highlighted the significance of these results in reinforcing Malaysia’s trade ambitions. “INSP MIHAS 2025 has attracted one of the most regionally diverse groups of buyers to date, creating valuable connections between Malaysian exporters and both established and emerging markets. By opening doors to countries such as Algeria, Costa Rica, and Norway, Malaysia is strengthening its role as ASEAN’s gateway to the global Halal economy. This underlines Malaysia’s position as a global leader in the Halal sector, supported by a credible Halal ecosystem, world-class certification standards, competitive supply chains, and the capacity of our exporters to deliver high-quality, Halal-compliant products and services.”

Echoing this, MATRADE Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Sri Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz emphasised that INSP MIHAS aims to foster long-term business relationships:

“The 4,000 meetings conducted today are more than just transactions, they are opportunities for Malaysian exporters to establish lasting partnerships in high-value markets. This is how we position Malaysian Halal products and services as trusted global brands. A key strength of INSP MIHAS is MATRADE’s ability to leverage its network of 48 overseas trade offices to carefully select and pre-qualify buyers, ensuring that meetings are highly targeted and connect Malaysian companies with genuine demand. This approach paves the way for successful deals and enduring collaborations.”

It is clear that international buyers increasingly view MIHAS as the premier platform for sourcing a wide range of Halal products, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, palm oil derivatives, prepared foods, and beverages, as well as services such as distribution and logistics, Islamic financial services, and education.

INSP MIHAS 2025 also marked the inaugural integration of the AI-powered MADANI Digital Trade (MDT) platform, a pioneering innovation designed to seamlessly connect businesses, optimise trade matchmaking, and expand global Halal trade opportunities. Using advanced AI algorithms, the platform intelligently pairs Malaysian exporters with targeted international buyers based on real-time data, market trends, and specific business preferences.

This initiative aligns with Malaysia’s broader national digitalisation strategy and its vision under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and the National Trade Blueprint (NTBp). It also supports MATRADE’s commitment to empowering micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with cutting-edge digital tools to broaden their global reach.

The virtual business-matching component of the flagship programme remains open until 5 November 2025, enabling seamless connections anytime and anywhere.