SARAWAK could tap into the USD5 trillion global halal economy by 2030 if it embraces digital tools and moves past the common perception of halal as only about meat and slaughter, said Citadel Tayyib 360 CEO Adly Mohamed.
He said halal should be seen as a complete economic ecosystem, not just a single industry.
“When I say halal, people think of slaughtering. But they don’t understand there are other things than halal.
“There’s food, processed food, pharmaceuticals, fashion, travel, trading. That’s why I believe we have something to offer to Sarawak and East Malaysia,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
This broader perspective, he added, unlocks diverse market and employment opportunities, especially in underdeveloped halal segments across the supply chain.
For Adly, this is where Citadel Tayyib 360 comes in.
For the record, Citadel Tayyib 360 is a pioneering entity in the halal economy, dedicated to driving growth and innovation.
Dedicated to Shariah-compliant business solutions, the company empowers enterprises in the halal sector.
He said the company’s identity and strategy are captured in its logo, which acts as a visual summary of its mission and scope.
“The Citadel Tayyib 360 logo embodies our dynamic global presence in the halal business ecosystem. The flower represents our expansive reach, positioning Malaysia at the heart of the halal industry.
“Each petal symbolises a distinct sector within the halal ecosystem, underscoring our distinctive holistic and inclusive approach.”
He explained that the eight filaments at the centre of Citadel Tayyib 360’s flower-shaped logo represent its strategic pillars: trade and market access, training and development, authenticity and trust, global engagement, thought leadership, certification and integrity, digital enablement and empowerment and talent.
“These values underpin the company’s services for sectors such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and logistics, and more, offering tailored solutions to meet their unique needs.”
What halal really means
Adly explained that halal is about sharia compliance, while tayyib covers ethical practices and socio-economic development.
“Halal is following the law. Tayyib is about wholesomeness, purity, and ethical practices. Halal treats it like a legal document. Tayyib is taking care of the people and the planet.”
Illustrating, he said: “If a cow is slaughtered under halal, that’s one thing. But when you add tayyib, you ask: are the animals mistreated? Are the staff properly paid? Is the food they eat halal?”
He said this combination is essential.
“Everybody knows about halal. But tayyib is what we want people to understand. Halal and tayyib have to come together.”
He noted that Malaysia’s halal certification, through JAKIM, is among the most recognised globally, with the country topping the Global Islamic Economy Index for ten consecutive years.
However, he said, other countries like Indonesia are moving faster because they embrace digitalisation.
“In 2018, the halal portion of Malaysia’s GDP was about 7.4 per cent. Our target in 2030 is 11 per cent. That is from USD58 billion to USD149 billion.
“That’s a huge jump. But in order for that to be successful and achievable, we must embrace digital transformation, apply the technology, and not just talk about it.”
He pointed out that digital literacy and technology adoption are not optional if Malaysia, and Sarawak specifically, wants to capture more of the 80 per cent of the global halal market that remains untapped.
“We’re so strict and rigid, which is good. But what’s missing is digital literacy. Understanding alone isn’t enough. You have to embrace it.”
Building talent pipeline
Adly said that Citadel Tayyib 360, formed in March this year, is building a structured halal development model. It begins with awareness, followed by digital training, talent creation and global deployment.
“We train halal executives and auditors using AI. These people are needed everywhere. In Slovenia, Turkey, Korea, they earn RM15,000 monthly with full lodging. The global demand is there.”
He said every certified halal business must have a halal council, halal executives and, for larger operations, internal halal auditors, similar to internal financial auditors.
“Do you know that the request for halal executives and auditors is global? It’s not enough here. I created a halal talent pool before, and we exported talent to Turkey, Korea and Slovenia.”
These placements, he said, show that halal is not just a compliance checklist but a career pipeline that Sarawak institutions can tap into through training, partnerships, and export-ready programmes.
Efficiency and market access
Alongside talent development, Citadel Tayyib is also focusing on technology, which Adly sees as a critical driver for efficiency and market growth.
To reduce bottlenecks in certification, the company is planning developing tech tools for halal monitoring.
Adly said that one solution is an IoT-enabled Halal Assurance System that collects real-time data on production lines.
“You monitor critical points in your plant, enzymes, and temperature. When JAKIM comes, you press print. Day, week, anytime. That’s embracing technology.”
Recalling his time at Tabung Haji managing seven hotels, he shared that he used desktop management.
“Every day at 5pm, all numbers must be in. From the data, we are able to see the sales of all the products. If we see that certain items or products are less popular on a particular day, we will come up with a solution to increase sales of it.
“That’s decision-making based on data. Not guessing. The same can be done for halal.”
Building on this data-driven approach, and the developed UmHajGo app, he shared that he is now exploring apps to verify halal products, supply chains and vendor networks, and said these digital tools could give Sarawak a competitive edge if adopted early.
“We have the team to develop it, but we need partnerships from other organisations to make this app happen,” he said.
Sarawak’s strategic advantages
Adly said East Malaysia has huge potential, especially in trade and tourism.
Looking at what Sarawak has to offer, Citadel Tayyib hopes to open an office in Sarawak.
“We want to ensure continuity. Not do a two-day event and disappear. If it is possible, we’ll set up here so that Sarawak can be the halal hub for Borneo.
“You have the location, the culture, the diversity. With logistics and infrastructure like Bintulu Port, it’s possible.”
Moreover, he also highlighted how halal and tayyib are already naturally practised in Sarawak.
“You have people of all backgrounds. Even non-Muslim families understand. During Gawai or other celebrations, the non-Muslims will have separate pots and pans to cater for their Muslim friends and families so that the foods that they consume are halal. Nobody forces them to do so but it’s just understood by the people here.”
SIHSA 2026
To help realise Sarawak’s potential, Citadel Tayyib plans to launch the Sarawak International Halal Summit and Awards (SIHSA), targeted for the third or fourth quarter next year.
“This won’t be the typical talk-shop. I want people who attend the event to leave saying, ‘I signed a deal, I learnt something new, I found a buyer’ instead.”
This is because, he added, the summit will feature pocket talks, business clinics, a trade expo, negotiation tables, forums with international speakers and a gala dinner with awards.
“It will have one-to-one sessions, pocket talks where people really listen, have negotiation tables and so on.
“In addition to this, follow-up after the event is crucial. I’ve seen people dump business cards into a box and never call anyone. That is not how it should be, so we aim to do it differently,” he said.
The summit, he said, will also involve students and researchers, allowing institutions to engage in applied research and documentation.
“That is why we want 100 to 200 students to attend the summit. Lecturers will do research and development, and act as rapporteurs. They’ll record everything. It’s not just to attend. They’ll learn and contribute.
“If I provide some data, they can get grants and do research. Everybody wins.”
The bigger picture
Adly believes halal should be seen as a long-term socio-economic strategy, not just a market segment, and that the industry must improve how it presents itself to global markets.
He sees tayyib as the brand that conveys integrity, wholesomeness, and social responsibility, and one that can help define the future of the industry.
“Islam is a way of life. We follow one book, the Quran. Not one comma can be changed. Our protocol has been refined over 1,400 years. ISO is 80 years old. HACCP is newer. Yet we are still explaining why halal is relevant,” he said.
He expressed hope that Citadel Tayyib could be a catalyst for change in the halal industry in East Malaysia, but stressed that this could only happen through collective effort from the media, institutions and government.
“The pie is too big to eat alone. That is why, everyone gets a piece. And when we share the pie, everyone benefits.”
“Tayyib is not just about profits. It’s about people and the planet. That’s our goal.”
