PHNOM PENH — Cambodia is looking to leverage Malaysia’s world-class halal infrastructure and expertise to accelerate the development of its own domestic halal industry and tap into the lucrative global market.

Speaking at the recent Malaysia-Cambodia Halal Forum: Unlocking Opportunities in the Global Halal Economy, Malaysia’s Ambassador to Cambodia, Shaharuddin Onn, urged Phnom Penh to capitalize on Malaysia’s robust ecosystem, which spans certification, trade promotion, and international market access.

"Malaysia spent years building its halal ecosystem... I believe that together, we can collaborate by pairing Cambodia’s ambition with Malaysia’s experience to build a highly competitive regional halal value chain," Shaharuddin said, noting that Malaysia has ranked first in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator for 12 consecutive years.

Seizing a Multitrillion-Dollar Opportunity

The global halal economy is currently valued at an estimated US$3.5 trillion, with projections soaring to US$5 trillion by 2030.

As farmland-rich Cambodia diversifies its economy, the country is actively targeting the halal food and Muslim-friendly tourism sectors. With abundant raw materials—such as cashew nuts, cassava, rice, mangoes, and palm sugar—already finding global reach, local enterprises like Lyly Food Industry Co. Ltd. and Leang Leng Sauce Co. Ltd. are expanding their product lines to meet rising domestic and international demand.

An Ideal Manufacturing Hub

Tan Khee Meng, President of the Malaysian Business Chamber in Cambodia (MBCC), highlighted that Cambodia presents an exceptional value proposition for Malaysian manufacturers.

"Cambodia is a right candidate for Malaysian businesses and Malaysian halal manufacturers. You can do the production here and export into another market," Tan remarked, pointing to the country's young demographic, low-cost labor, and growing middle-income consumer base.

Institutional and Capacity-Building Support

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim)—the nation's premier halal certification authority—is playing a pivotal role in supporting Cambodia's sector growth.

Siti Ayisah Surif, Senior Assistant Secretary of Jakim’s Halal Management Division, stated on the sidelines of the event that the agency remains committed to aiding foreign halal certification bodies through training, guidance, and continuous engagement.

Robust Bilateral Momentum

The collaborative push comes amid surging economic ties between the two nations. Last year, bilateral trade between Malaysia and Cambodia crossed the historic US$1 billion milestone. This upward trajectory has continued strongly, with bilateral trade surging 51.1% to US$833 million in the first half of 2026, compared to US$501 million during the same period last year.

The one-day forum was jointly organized by the Malaysian Embassy in Phnom Penh, the Malaysian External Trade Development Agency (Matrade) in Ho Chi Minh City, Jakim, and the MBCC.

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