In celebration of our 10th Anniversary this year, the WIEF Foundation is pleased to present the inaugural edition of the 21st Century Economics in the Muslim World, a compilation of views on current economic issues of special interest to those following developments in the Muslim World.
Presented through the prism of the WIEF Chairman, YABhg Tun Musa Hitam, this publication is intended to identify and articulate the challenges facing the Muslim community, both internally and with the non-Muslim world at large, to distinguish perception from reality and to advance views helpful to the process of creating an environment for the better empowerment of Muslims in business and economic collaborations.
Guest of Honour YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed Minister of International Trade & Industry has graced the launch today.
“The underlying thread running throughout this book is WIEF’s rallying cry: “Building Bridges through Business”. If you are fortunate enough to reach the end of this book, you will see that I strongly advocate that business cooperation be the start and end point of any effort in bringing the Muslim World to the next level. I believe the future and well-being of the Muslim World lies in the pursuit of a well-defined and executed economic agenda with less focus on those issues that are more divisive.
We believe in building things up slowly, without much fuss and fanfare. The majority of business in the Muslim world are small business, which themselves exist without much fuss and fanfare. So it’s appropriate that we start from the bottom up – empowering women, building SMEs, developing entrepreneurship among the youth and so on.” said Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman of the WIEF Foundation.
“I am deeply honoured to be part of this launch. I would like to commend YABhg Tun Musa Hitam and team for another impressive body of work after organising the successful WIEF last year. I am hopeful that this book will help many to understand the challenges facing the Islamic economies and the way forward — creating equitable economic opportunities, increasing women participation in workforce and intensifying capacity building for young entrepreneurs in line with honoring the principles of our faith.
I would like to pay tribute to YABhg Tun Musa Hitam for raising the profile of the WIEF which was held in London last year – the first outside of the Muslim world,” said YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade & Industry.