MATRADE Chairman to 34 Media Outlets from 19 Countries: MIHAS Sales Surpass RM 5.5 Billion, Heading Toward RM 6 Billion as Highest in History Since 2004

MATRADE Chairman to 34 Media Outlets from 19 Countries: MIHAS Sales Surpass RM 5.5 Billion, Heading Toward RM 6 Billion as Highest in History Since 2004

Amr Yehia , from Kuala Lumpur 

Chairman of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Reezal Merican Naina Merican revealed that the 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2026) achieved unprecedented historic figures, surpassing its annual target.

This came during a special address he delivered before the international media delegation at the conclusion of the showcase.

Reezal Merican said in his remarks: "What means more is that MIHAS this year has managed to record again a few historical highs. I think our visitors will be surpassing 50,000 anytime. Because our model is business-to-business, B2B, quite naturally the number of visitors is pretty much confined to trade visitors. We are not conducting a trade expo with a B2C model. But an attendance of more than 50,000 is a remarkably high achievement for us."

The MATRADE Chairman revealed a pleasant surprise, saying: "More so to our pleasant surprise, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday, as of Wednesday and Thursday, the total sales generated either from INSP, either from exhibitions, either from WIEX, combined altogether was RM 5.1 billion."

He added: "But today that figure has climbed again. For three days as of now, it has not come to an end yet, because we have another one day today. It has been officially declared and announced that we have already reached RM 5.5 billion in total sales. This is an achievement. We set a target of RM 5 billion and we surpassed RM 5 billion, and I am quite optimistic."

He explained that this figure does not include the memoranda of understanding that have been signed, nor does it include sales generated through the new system powered by artificial intelligence.

He said: "Remember I told you about AI, AI-Agentic. For everyone who comes, they will be given an AI-Agentic. And this AI-Agentic is communicative with the other one in accordance with the appetite they have already listed down on that platform. So normally that AI will intelligently set their very own date of appointment, business matching, outside whatever has been pre-patterned, carefully curated, programmed and arranged by INSP, by MATRADE."

He added: "So that figure also has not been included. So if all those elements are to be included, I am quite optimistic we may reach RM 6 billion in 2026, making it the highest ever since the inception of MIHAS in 2004."

He concluded his speech by thanking the foreign media, expressing his appreciation for the attendance of 34 media houses coming from 19 countries: "I know it has been tireless work. A lot of you have been working day and night to find a story to tell about MIHAS and bring that story across all corners of the globe. Once again, thank you very much to all of the media, local and foreign, because of you, you bring the voice of MIHAS far, far beyond the boundaries and borders of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia."

At the end of the meeting, the MATRADE Chairman recognized the international media delegation as part of the family of MIHAS, in appreciation of their vital role in conveying the success of the showcase to the world.