Malaysia Outlines Bold Agenda For PUIC On Youth, Innovation, And Justice

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, May 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has called for the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) to evolve into a more action-oriented institution, placing greater emphasis on ethical leadership, youth inclusion, and meaningful South-South cooperation.

Speaking at the 25th Anniversary of the PUIC here on Wednesday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, urged member parliaments to move beyond ceremonial roles and embrace a forward-looking, principled agenda.

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"This is a call to act - to lead with integrity, to govern with compassion and to build institutions that can weather any storm," he said in his opening remarks, according to the text made available by his office.

Malaysia proposed several new mechanisms to revitalise PUIC cooperation, including the establishment of a PUIC South-South Cooperation Fund to support key development projects in agriculture, the digital economy, and clean energy.

By encouraging dialogue and collaboration, parliaments can help strengthen regional partnerships and support sustainable development across OIC countries, thus transforming solidarity into concrete, lasting outcomes, Johari explained.

He also outlined a vision for a Knowledge and Innovation Exchange to connect researchers, institutions, and parliamentarians across the Islamic world, with a focus on halal industry clusters, Islamic finance, and agritech collaboration.

In a strong push for youth engagement, Malaysia proposed the creation of a PUIC Youth Affairs Committee and a Parliamentary Leadership Academy to train a new generation of ethical and civic-minded leaders.

"The future of the ummah will not be inherited. It must be cultivated,” he said, underscoring the importance of inclusive governance.

On Palestine, Johari reaffirmed Malaysia’s longstanding support and called for more than symbolic statements, urging the PUIC to formulate coordinated and effective responses to ongoing violations of international law.

"For Malaysia, this is not new terrain. Since our independence in 1957, we have stood firmly with the Palestinian people - through every government, across every generation,” he said.

He added that PUIC must help shift the global conversation towards justice and sovereignty, calling for collective action to support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Johari called on PUIC to become a true engine of hope, bastion of justice, and defender of dignity across the Islamic world, declaring, "Malaysia stands ready - to collaborate, to co-lead and to deliver."

-- BERNAMA