Bangsamoro Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim represented the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM in showcasing the opportunities in investing in housing projects in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region during this year’s Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 18, 2024.

During his presentation, he highlighted the main services of the MHSD, investment opportunities, and Islamic financing options for housing in the region.

He also reconnected with other prominent individuals who have been looking forward to invest in the Bangsamoro.

“The housing needs in the BARMM is very high recorded at more than 300,000, and our Ministry can only provide less than 2% of that total. Once we apply the concept of Islamic Financing, people will be able to understand its importance and the opportunities it offers. People may take these to answer the need for faith-based solutions to the problem of housing needs,” BDG Ebrahim said.

He invited the audience to visit the BARMM and see the proposal of joint venture with the investors on housing-concerned projects to provide decent housing in the region using Islamic banking institutions provided by the Philippines in the context.

Sharing the stage with BDG Ebrahim during the open forum were fellow speakers from the Ambassador of the Philippines to Malaysia, DTI Halal Industry Development Office, BARMM Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), DOST, and BSP.

MIHAS is conducted annually as one of the largest halal trade fairs in the world. Each year, it highlights innovations in halal products and services while facilitating networking and business opportunities within the halal industry.

This year’s MIHAS began on September 17, with a ribbon cutting ceremony of the Philippine Pavilion 2024.

Twenty Philippine exhibitors showcasing halal-friendly products from the Philippines were featured throughout the event, showing that even in a non-Muslim country, halal is widely promoted and is highly sought in the Philippines.

The event continued until September 20, 2024.