His Royal Highness, Sultan Nazrin Muizzudin Shah Ibni ALmarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbudin Shah al-Maghfur-lah and Tuanku Zara Salim
His Excellency Dr Dragan Covic, Chairman of the Presidency, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Assalamualaikum Warahmarullahi Wabarakatuh, and a very good evening.
On behalf of the WIEF Foundation, I am delighted to welcome all present here at this evening’s gala dinner.
We are grateful to H.R.H The Sultan of Perak for honouring us with his presence with his gracious consort and for consenting to deliver a special address this evening.
I would also like to thank our patron and prime minister of Malaysia, the Honourable Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, for kindly consenting to host this dinner in conjunction with the 11th WIEF.
Ladies and gentlemen,
One topic that continues to be popular at the WIEF and to gain traction globally relates to Islamic finance.
The WIEF has indeed been an important platform to promote Islamic finance as one of the major pillars in our common endeavours to advance the development of the Islamic economy.
Malaysia in this regard continues to be a leading hub for the development of Islamic finance.
And one very prominent personality in Malaysia has been deeply passionate and actively involved in promoting Islamic finance globally is none other than H.R.H the Sultan of Perak.
H.R.H is also the royal patron of the Malaysian International Islamic Financial Centre.
It is in this capacity that H.R.H Sultan Dr Nazrin has chosen to speak on “Promoting Social Justice through Islamic Banking and Finance”.
This dimension of Islamic banking and finance is becoming extremely important now with the emergence of more and more voices, even in Malaysia, critical of Islamic financial institutions as having “no soul” and even “cruel” when providing services to their customers.
I am confident that HRH’s special address tonight will help to enlighten us on the significance of Islamic finance as an economic model to promote the principles of social justice and equity that would have far reaching impact on both the Muslim and non-Muslim world.
I now have great honour to welcome H.R.H. Sultan Dr Nazrin to deliver his special address.
Your Royal Highness, please.
Thank you.