Mr Esa Han Hsien Masood, 39, will be the youngest ever to lead the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) as its chief executive from next month, and he knows his age could be an issue to some people. Acknowledging such concerns during an interview on Tuesday, he said he hopes to show that he can do the job despite his age. "My age, to some, could be an issue. But I hope, through working...

Home to beach resorts, electronics and garment factories, Batam and Bintan are poised to become a hub producing halal food and products, as Indonesia moves to tap a multi-trillion-dollar global market. The islands are among four pilot locations identified by the Indonesian government to develop a "halal park", a designated industrial zone to process food, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals that comply with Islamic standards so Muslims can...

When dimsum manufacturer SMH Foods Enterprise approached hotels with its halal version of siew mai - a Cantonese delicacy usually made with pork - chefs were not keen to serve it in their restaurants. But SMH, which was confident that its chicken version tasted just like the original, found a way to convince the cooks - by offering them samples to try without disclosing the ingredients. It turned out the chefs could not tell the...