KL picked as Muslim countries' secretariat

MALAYSIA is spearheading efforts to intensify business development programmes in Muslim countries. In keeping with its role as chairman of the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) foundation, Kuala Lumpur has been chosen to host the secretariat for the WIEF foundation.

Speaking to Malaysian journalists covering the fourth World Islamic Economic Forum hosted by the Kuwaiti Government, the foundation’s chairman Tun Musa Hitam said the secretariat would be staffed by both Malaysians and foreigners.

"The Malaysian Government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi have been giving us full support, making this a reality,” he said.

“This secretariat will become known and able to deliver better while organising business-related conferences for our Muslim brothers. It is our hope that we will succeed in bringing a positive image to the whole Muslim establishment.

"We want to continue emphasising and facilitating efforts for more business ties and linkages between Muslim businesses across the globe.”

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al Mohamad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and members of his government have been instrumental in finalising arrangements for this year’s forum, with the theme "Islamic Countries: Partners in Global Development."

Musa said through this forum business opportunities and relationships could be cemented.

Kuwait, he said, was chosen as the venue due to its economic success, particularly in the fields of energy and finance.

The foundation’s youth and women divisions would be having their own meetings on the sidelines focusing on projects that could benefit the younger businessmen.

Among those expected to attend the WIEF young leaders meetings are Datuk Nazir Razak, chairman of WIEF Young Leaders Network and CIMB Group chief executive officer and Datuk Dr Norraesah Mohamed, chairman of WIEF Businesswomen Network.

Musa said the forum would not be another talk shop.

“ We will be discussing a wide range of specialised and specific subjects. Since the foundation formation four years ago, it has caught fire in a manner of speaking. It has attracted so much attention and many countries are interested in joining or hosting the forum,” he said.

Next year, the forum will be held in Jakarta, with the focus on the role of small- and medium-sized industries in Muslim countries.

Musa said the approach to encouraging more Muslims to do business should be bottom up, instead of up down.

"There are not that many huge enterprises run by Muslims. So, in order to encourage the establishment of bigger enterprises, we must start from the beginning."

Musa also said he would like to see the private sector taking the initiatives to organise and make the foundation more successful.

"We have to depend less and less on the government but take our own initiatives."

WIEF, he said, would strive to show to the world that the word Islam was not associated with anything negative.

"We are a grouping of institutions, countries and people who only want to encourage and help the others to do business and so, our business is to talk and talk so that they will be attracted to do business."

The opening of the forum today (April 29) will be held at Bayan Palace. The Kuwaiti prime minister is scheduled to deliver a keynote address. Present will be graced King Abdullah 11, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Senegal president Abdoulaye Wade, Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai and Dr Haris Silajdzic, president of Bosnia-Herzegovina.