Malaysian Minister: Vietnam is a strategic agricultural supply partner

On April 23, Minister Trinh Viet Hung and Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu, Malaysian Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on agricultural cooperation between the two countries. A reporter from the Agriculture and Environment newspaper interviewed the Malaysian Minister regarding the vision of building resilient agriculture for both nations.

Prioritizing food security

Your Excellency, within the framework of the recent MOU, could you share more details about the priority areas of cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam in agriculture and food security?

Malaysia and Vietnam have shared a close partnership and tight cooperation for many years. The MOU signed between the two countries two years ago has fulfilled its mission; therefore, the focus of our delegation's current working trip is to renew this MOU, especially in the agricultural sector.

In the context of a world facing numerous geopolitical fluctuations and climate change challenges, countries need to strengthen cooperation and mutual support. Food security is not just a political issue but a matter of human survival. Therefore, this MOU emphasizes cooperation in crop production and food security commodities.

The livestock and veterinary sectors also play a vital role. For example, Malaysia still has to import nearly 80% of its ruminant livestock needs. Thus, we wish to discuss and cooperate more deeply with Vietnam to boost supply capacity in the livestock sector.

Additionally, Vietnam possesses a very high level of technology, particularly in rice production. From a country that had to import rice 30-40 years ago, Vietnam has risen to become Southeast Asia's leading rice exporter. This is an achievement we need to learn from and in fact, Malaysia is also importing rice from Vietnam.

It can be said that the MOU signed on April 23 marks strategic cooperation. We expect the two countries to continue promoting bilateral import-export activities. That is also the core spirit we agreed upon in this memorandum.

Based on the foundation of cooperation between the two countries over the years, how do you evaluate Vietnam's role and potential in the regional agricultural supply chain? Which core strengths of Vietnam's agriculture does Malaysia highly appreciate?

The most prominent point is the large-scale production capacity for tropical fruits. Malaysia also has similar production advantages; however, in the northern region (bordering Thailand and near China), we lack certain types of fruits. Therefore, boosting the import of tropical fruits from Vietnam will be a perfect complementary solution for the Malaysian market.

Besides, both Vietnam and Malaysia have recorded great strides in modernization. The two countries can absolutely enhance the exchange and sharing of technology for mutual development.

Broadly speaking, food security is a central issue for the ASEAN bloc, which has a population of up to 700 million. Despite differences in economic scale, most countries in the region are facing common challenges in securing food supplies. Therefore, promoting technology sharing among member states will be a key factor in firmly consolidating the food security of the entire region.

In the context of the global food supply chain facing much volatility, how does Malaysia plan to cooperate with Vietnam?

Malaysia is deeply aware that in the current global context, no single country can ensure food security alone. Therefore, we are committed to strengthening the information exchange mechanism with Vietnam regarding legal frameworks and licensing standards, especially in fisheries and ruminant livestock. Even for essential food sources like rice, countries have deep interdependence, requiring close cross-border linkages.

Although each country has an independent legal system and both sides always strictly respect each other's regulations, flexibility in cooperation is extremely urgent. Effectively promoting the role of joint working groups, based on the spirit of sharing and accompanying, is the foundation for the goal of sustainable cooperation between our two countries.

Strengthening the strategic partnership in rice and Halal products

Minister, regarding Halal cooperation, what specific support does Malaysia plan to provide Vietnam in developing this market?

Halal brings immense international commercial value. This standard is not limited to Islamic countries but is recognized and accepted globally. The core issue is that we need to standardize and unify the understanding of Halal standards in both Islamic and non-Islamic countries.

Although issuing Halal certifications does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security but is handled by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), we actively support and promote Halal products, particularly livestock items, to the international market.

Malaysia is currently cooperating with many countries, including Japan and Vietnam, which have clearly recognized the potential of this market. The Halal standards issued by JAKIM have now been standardized in accordance with the ISO 15000 system and are becoming a reference standard system for many non-Islamic countries worldwide.

Regarding the rice trade, Vietnam remains a major rice supplier to Malaysia. How do you assess the development orientation of this partnership?

Regarding the rice trade, Vietnam has always been a strategic and stable partner of Malaysia for many years, supplying about 30 - 40% of our total annual rice imports. In the current economic context, Malaysia's top priority is to ensure a stable supply and stabilized prices. We will continue to cooperate closely and negotiate to secure the supply from Vietnam.

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Vietnam has grown remarkably over the years. By 2025, the two-way trade turnover reached the $20 billion mark. Vietnam is one of Malaysia's top trading partners within ASEAN. We aim to further expand the scale of cooperation. Besides agriculture, the two countries have vast potential for cooperation in electronics, petrochemicals, machinery and manufactured products. Malaysia is very eager to further tighten cooperative relations with Vietnamese partners to comprehensively promote bilateral trade.

Finally, what is Malaysia's perspective on Vietnam's proposal to open the market for Vietnamese fresh poultry meat, as well as milk and dairy products?

For livestock products, especially beef and Halal items, Malaysia strictly applies international standards, specifically HACCP. These technical barriers are frequently discussed during the meetings of the Technical Working Group and the Joint Working Group between the two countries.

Procedurally, before an enterprise wants to export livestock products to Malaysia, they must submit a licensing application. Afterward, we will conduct a risk analysis and assessment regarding the origin of the livestock and the quality of products from Vietnam. If safety standards are met, both sides will negotiate on veterinary quarantine certification. Only when all procedures are completed will the import activity proceed.

However, it should be noted that for poultry and beef products, there is another independent set of standards related to Halal certification. The exporting country is required to register with our Halal certification body, JAKIM. In other words, to export Halal livestock products to Malaysia, an enterprise must meet the standards and apply to both agencies: the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM).

Thank you very much, Minister and the delegation!