Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei Darussalam will host the 14th annual
informal Religious Ministers Meeting of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and
Singapore (MABIMS) and 35th SOM meeting next year.
This was highlighted at the recently concluded special MABIMS
meeting held in, Malaysia, which was attended by the religious
ministers from member countries.
They discussed the outcomes of
MABIMS scholar session, theme paper seminar and the 34th senior
officers meeting (SOM) held earlier.
The MABIMS scholars conference touched on two paper works namely
“HIV/AIDS Epidemic, The Role Of Scholars To Counteract” and “Ummah
Economic Transformation: Experience, Current Role of MABIMS members”.
Brunei was represented by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato
Paduka Seri Setia Hj Suhaili, Deputy State Mufti, and Dato Seri Setia
Hj Metussin, Syariah High Court Judge. The seminar discussed a paper on
“Wandah Pemangkin Khaira Ummah”. Brunei was represented by Hj Fardi,
Senior Syariah Legal Officer.
Meanwhile, the SOM meeting discussed seven strategies and additional
papers namely the development of progressive Ummah through
strengthening Islamic eminence and propagation programme; youth
potential development; Muslims’ development beyond MABIMS through
social and humanity; enhancement of inter religious groups harmony
through culture and religious understanding; Islamic educational
development and its relevancy among Indonesia religious department;
poverty eradication through enhancing the capability of poor and needy;
as well as the outreach of MABIMS understanding and practices in MABIMS
region and the role of MABIMS to the outside world.
Meanwhile, the additional papers highlighted on Majma of Islamic
finance regionally (MAKIN), the Return of Implementation of Halal
process certification to Malaysia’s Islamic Development Department, the
Proposal of the establishment of Maya office for MABIMS secretariat
(Virtual Office) and Asean youth conference.
The outcome of the special MABIMS meet highlighted that MABIMS
scholar session should be a sideline for SOM, agreed on the proposal to
set up Virtual Office, Brunei agreed to be the second country as the
main organiser of MABIMS Youth Bus project next year after Singapore
and Malaysia and to give opportunity to children of poor and needy to
continue their studies at the educational institutions such as
Baitulmal Skills Institute, Baitulmal Professional Institute, Sarawak
Islamic Skill Acquisition Institute and Darul Quran.
The meeting also noted the establishment of Majma Islamic Finance in
the region (MAKIN) for the interest of Islamic economy regionally.
Hence, International Syariah Research Academy for Islamic Finance
(ISRA) would become the secretariat for the first three years. The
involvement in MAKIN will be decided by the financial body responsible
for the economic sector in every nation.
The meet was also one of the activities to mark the 20th anniversary
of MABIMS besides executive talk event by HRH Nazrin Shah, the Crown
Prince of Perak, MABIMS Children Quran reading and the closing of
MABIMS youth bus project. — Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
