Malaysia Reaffirms Support For Islamic NGO Empowerment In Southeast Asia

PUTRAJAYA, June 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the empowerment of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and dakwah institutions across Southeast Asia, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar.

In line with Malaysia's role as the Chair of ASEAN, he said agencies under the Prime Minister's Department of Religious Affairs must continue actively implementing appropriate cooperation programmes in their respective fields at the Southeast Asian level.

He emphasised that such collaborative programmes must be implemented, particularly to facilitate knowledge transfer, sharing of expertise and community empowerment through inclusive and sustainable initiatives in education, social development and the economy.

“The Prime Minister's Department of Religious Affairs will remain committed to jointly pursuing the agenda of empowering the roles of NGOs and dakwah institutions in Southeast Asia towards the development of the Islamic community in the region,” he said at the Mahabbah ceremony of the MADANI SEA Leadership Programme (MSEALP) here today.

Mohd Na’im said the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) has sponsored 100 students from Cambodia to pursue higher education at University College MAIWP International and Dar al-Hikmah College.

He added that the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) continues to actively implement various cooperation programmes for the development of Islamic affairs through the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS), particularly in halal programme development and dakwah initiatives.

“This year, JAKIM is coordinating the World Mosque Congress, which will also involve cooperation from mosque leaders in Southeast Asia. 

“JAKIM has also been mandated to organise the Southeast Asian Islamic Youth Gathering, in collaboration with the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) this year,” he said.

He added that Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM) is also actively engaged in coordinating dakwah activities at the Southeast Asian and international levels.

“I also intend to conduct visits and goodwill missions to several Southeast Asian countries in the near future to strengthen cooperation in the field of Islamic affairs development in the region,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Na’im described the MSEALP as not just a programme, but a laboratory for tomorrow’s leadership. 

“Here, you are not taught how to win arguments but how to build bridges. You are not trained to conquer others but to cooperate with others,” he added.

-- BERNAMA