Analyzing Attitude of Halal Food Purchasing Among Muslim Millennial: A Malaysian Experience

Abstract

The Millennial generation is a potentially profitable target consumer group as they are financially independent and highly capable in accessing information and using the latest technology. Apart from being loyal to brands, they are very receptive to diversity, greatly independent and optimistic. Their attitudes indicate they are very concerned with quality assurance, diverse product and service selections and consumer rights. Attitude is a factor that frequently influences consumers' choice in selecting food products. Since the Millennials are a group of consumers that are sophisticated and extremely capable of making choices, it is pivotal to understand their attitude in selecting halal food. Provided that halal food consumption is critical in shaping a Muslim's personality. This study examined the factor of attitude among Muslim Millennials when purchasing halal food. This quantitative study applied the non-probability sampling method on 403 respondents using the SPSS version 26. Findings showed that when purchasing halal food products, factors such as halal understanding, halal logo, and religion were significant and have positive influences towards attitude of halal food purchase among Muslim Millennial generations. However, it was also found that the factor of social media influencer was not significant to the millennials. It is hoped that the findings of this study could contribute to assist in developing a marketing theory related to behavior towards halal food products.

The Human (In)Security of Syrian Refugees in Malaysia

“…In the mid-1990s, Malaysia granted asylum to Bosnian citizens who were brutally suppressed by the civil war in Yugoslavia at the time. The war resulted in more than 350 Bosnian Muslims seeking asylum in Malaysia between 1992 and 1995 (Ahmad et al 2016). In the 2000s, Malaysia hosted refugees from war-torn countries such as Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Palestine, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.…”

“…As a consequence, refugees from various countries receive varying treatment from Malaysians. Paradoxically, Malaysia has been actively accommodating refugees since their independence, both from other neighbouring states, such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia, and from overseas, such as Bosnian, Palestinian and Syrian refugees (Ahmad et al 2016). Malaysian's earliest contribution to a major refugee crisis was helping Vietnamese refugees escaping political persecution, economic reforms and restructuring programmes in 1975 (Hoffstaedter 2017).…”

“…The influx of Vietnamese refugees triggered uneasy feelings amongst Malaysians, especially those living near refugees, as many perceived the refugees to be causing social and economic problems (Idris 2012). However, it was during this influx of refugees, thirty years ago, when Malaysia was the most successful at handling and managing refugees through the Comprehensive Plan of Action for Indochinese Refugees (Ahmad et al 2016). The plan provided a framework for Malaysia that included temporarily housing around 250,000 refugees in camps along the eastern shore (Hoffstaedter 2017).…”

“…During the ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims by Serb nationalists in the Bosnian War in 1992, Malaysia urged the United Nations to push for more oversight in the protection of Bosnian Muslims (Hoffstaedter 2017). Malaysia was one of the strongest supporters of the Bosnian cause during the war, and it remained the only Asian country to accept Bosnian refugees (Ahmad et al 2016). Bosnian refugees also received a similarly structured programme to the Vietnamese who had protection from the government, including access to basic refugee protection provisions (Idris 2012).…”

“…Many opportunities were given to Bosnian refugees, such as education opportunities, and some were offered leadership positions after repatriating back to Bosnia (Muzafarkamal and Hossain 2019). The Malaysian government provided scholarships to students and basic housing and allowed Bosnian refugees to work, which is unlike the treatment given to the current Rohingya refugees (Ahmad et al 2016).…”