10 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Nestle Malaysia rolls out maiden state-level Halal@School initiative in Melaka
KUALA LUMPUR: Nestlé (M) Bhd has launched the first state-level rollout of its Halal@School programme in Melaka to promote greater understanding of halal values and healthy eating among young Malaysians.
Held at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kerubong, the event gathered over 500 students from six participating schools for a series of engaging, hands-on activities focused on halal principles, food safety and balanced nutrition.
Designed to make learning fun and accessible, the programme featured sharing sessions, quizzes and a specially curated Halal Explore Race, all aimed at helping students understand halal as a way of life rooted in integrity, well-being and respect for others.
Launched in 2018 in partnership with the Institute of Fatwa and Halal (iFFAH) at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Halal @ School is part of Nestlé Malaysia's broader commitment to uplifting local communities and spreading nutritional knowledge.
Nestlé Malaysia head of halal affairs Nasrul Hadi Mohamed Nor said the programme engaged students in a practical, inclusive and meaningful way, fostering greater awareness of halal values while encouraging healthier lifestyle choices among the younger generation.
"As Nestlé's global Halal Centre of Excellence, we see it as our responsibility to contribute not only through the high-quality products we produce, but also through meaningful engagement with the communities we serve," he said in a statement.
The programme has steadily expanded, reaching more than 5,400 students across 166 schools nationwide since its inception.
In 2024 alone, three Halal @ School series were held across 23 schools in Putrajaya, Johor and Kedah, engaging over 1,100 students.
The expansion into Melaka represents the next chapter for the programme, as it scales beyond individual districts to a wider, state-level audience.
Additional state-wide rollouts are planned for the East coast and Northern regions later in 2025.
A hallmark of Halal@School this year is its inclusive approach, welcoming participation from both Muslim and non-Muslim students.
By encouraging shared learning in a multicultural setting, the programme helps nurture understanding and empathy, while reinforcing core values of ethical consumption.
SK Kerubong headmistress Rahayu Mohd Thith said the programme was met with great enthusiasm from the moment it was introduced, with many students eager to participate and parents expressing hopes for all their children to be involved.
"Educating our students about halal practices and healthy eating goes far beyond religious understanding, it is about nurturing a way of life that supports physical well-being, mental clarity and moral values.
"We believe that through this initiative, we are nurturing a generation of students who are not only smart and modern, but also responsible and mindful of what they consume," she said.
