Irwandi Jaswir, Bringing the Halal Science to the World

Ester Lince Napitupulu

· 6 minutes read

Irwandi Jaswir, 48, has been an international academic and scientist in Malaysia for 25 years. He felt proud to receive the highest honor as an Indonesian scientist. In 2018, he became a King Faisal Prize Laureate in the category of Service to Islam. The award is considered the Nobel Prize of the Islamic world.

Irwandi was the first halal scientist to win the award for Service to Islam, in the annual awarding ceremony that was established by Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Foundation in 1979. In this particular category, awards were usually given to politicians, state leaders and heads of religious institutions.

Irwandi is the second Indonesian to receive the King Faisal Prize for Service to Island, after former Prime Minister Mohammad Natsir in 1980. Among Malaysians, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad received the award in 1997 and former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did in 2011.

“I felt proud for representing Indonesia. I cried because I didn’t think I would win the King Faisal international award,” Irwandi said in Jakarta in early May. The award was handed out directly by King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.

“The award is prestigious. Of its recipients, 23 have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. Although, I have to admit, I build my scientific career and obtained my professorship in Malaysia,” he said.

Irwandi is recognized as among the pioneers of the halal science in the world. He develops the halal perspective using a scientific approach based on research in order to support the growth of the halal industry. He serves as a consultant in halal industry development in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Singapore.

Using a scientific approach, Irwandi, through his work in Malaysia, develops various instruments that can quickly and easily detect non-halal content, including pork and alcohol. However, the halal science that Irwandi develops does not stop at detection. Research to find replacements for non-halal products is also developed.

According to Irwandi, currently a senior professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), he is involved in research on food, biotechnology and the halal science. In the past 10 years, he focused his research on the uses of brown seaweed. “Industries usually use green and red seaweedk. When I went to Sulawesi, [I found that] brown seaweed is thrown away. It is similar in Sabah, Malaysia,” he explained.

He continued that, in Sulawesi, fishermen could collect 800 kilograms of brown seaweed in just one hour of diving. However, brown seaweed has yet to be cultivated. “This is one example that Indonesia needs serious research to dig into this potential,” he said.

Irwandi said weeds had a bioactive component called fucoxanthin, a type of carotenoid or coloring agent. Research shows that fucoxanthin has antioxidant content 100 times higher than betacarotene. Furthermore, the carotenoid is also anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-obesity. In Japan, seaweed is sold as a food supplement. In Malaysia, Irwandi’s research results on brown seaweed has been put to use. There are companies producing fucoxanthin.

Irwandi’s research on seaweed is only one of his ways to provide halal products. He has also researched halal gelatin (collagen) as an additive for food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. He knew a majority of gelatins in the world were made of pork products. He received funding of billions of rupiah from the Saudi Arabian government to make halal gelatin from camel bones.

Irwandi said that Indonesia had a huge potential for halal gelatin as the country imported 1 million tons of gelatin every year for medicine, cosmetics and food (ice cream and other springy products).

Missing home

Irwandi has achieved glory abroad. He can no longer count the awards he has received from the Malaysian government, as well as those from Germany and the UK. He has six patents, more than 200 international scientific publications and contributions in more than 30 book chapters, the latest of which was just published in the US.

He brought the halal science to the world through a Malaysian university, which is supported by the Malaysian government to develop a halal ecosystem in the country. It is no wonder that Malaysia can gain benefits from the development of the world’s halal industry. “I also contribute to it,” Irwandi said, laughing.

Irwandi is now at the top of the world. As a foreign-citizen professor in Malaysia, he achieved the title of senior professor (B level) at the relatively young age of 45. If he accepted the offer of Malaysian citizenship, it would not be difficult for him to serve at the country’s top universities. Furthermore, he has served in strategic positions and been continuously productive as a scientist.

“For me, Indonesia is always in my heart. Whenever I have an invitation from Indonesia, even if it is only from college students in need of motivation on how to become a successful scientist, I am always ready,” he said.

He also has opportunities to move to other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, which has appointed him to lead the country’s halal industry development. However, he remains in Malaysia to be closer to Indonesia.

Irwandi said that he wished to return home and serve his country. He wishes to contribute to the development of Indonesia’s halal industry so that the world’s most populous Muslim nation would not merely be a market. He said Indonesia must achieve progress by establishing a halal manufacturing industry, supported by proper research and development.

“I’m a professional, a scientist. I am not affiliated with political parties. I hope someone will ask me to contribute to Indonesia, with the experiences I have gained abroad. Hopefully, I can be of use to my beloved Indonesia,” Irwandi said.

Irwandi Jaswir

Born: Medan, Dec. 20, 1970

Wife: Fitri Octavianti

Children: Uzma Nadhirah (17), Balqis Afifah (15), Ahmad Farabi (12), Omar Avicenna (9)

Education:

- Doctorate in Food Chemistry and Biochemistry at Universiti Putra Malaysia (1997-2000)

- Doctoral Exchange Program, Department of Food, Nutrition and Health, University of British Columbia, Canada (1989-1999)

- Postdoctoral Fellowship in Lipid Biochemistry, National Food Research Institute (NFRI), Tsukuba, Japan (2006-2008)

Career:

- Senior Professor (Food Chemistry and Biochemistry) at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) (2015-present)

- Deputy Dean of the International Institute for Halal Research and Training, IIUM (2017- present)

- Secretary of IIUM Council of Professors (2014 –present)

Awards, among others:

- King Faizal Prize Laurate 2018

- Islamic Product Innovation Award 2017 by Malaysian Innovation Agency

- Habibie Award 2013 in the Field of Medicine and Biotechnology

- Two silver medals of British Invention Show 2014, London, England

- Two gold medals of iENA 2013, Nuremberg, Germany.

Editor:

kompascetak