IIUM lecturer receives King Faisal International Prize 2018 award

KUALA LUMPUR: International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) lecturer Prof Dr Irwandi Jaswir has been awarded the King Faisal International Prize 2018 for his contribution to Islam through the field of science.
The Deputy Dean (Academics, Publication and Research) of UIAM's International Institute for Halal Research and Training (Inhart) was announced as the winner of the award by the selection committee yesterday, IIUM said in a statement here, today.
According to IIUM, Irwandi, 48, who hails from Medan, Indonesia "is well known in halal research covering the services, food and consumer goods sectors."
"This award is one of the highest recognitions for his contribution through IIUM in the field of Halal Technology and Science Development," said the statement.
Irwandi and his research team have produced a mobile kit for detecting non-halal materials in food, cosmetics and consumer goods to protect the interests of Muslim consumers, the statement said, adding that the kit can identify and detect the presence of alcohol and porcine-based fats in food and beverages within a few seconds.
Meanwhile, Irwandi, who had also received the Habibie Award from the Indonesian government in 2013 for his contributions to the fields of medicine and biotechnology, said he was grateful that his contributions and research were being recognised.
The King Faisal International Prize under the auspices of the Saudi Arabian government is a yearly award given to those who have contributed substantially to the Islamic world.
King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud is expected to present the award at a forthcoming ceremony. — Bernama