MALAYSIA TO HELP CAMBODIAN MUSLIMS

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Bernama)-- The 'Majlis Muafakat Dakwah
Malaysia-Kemboja' or MMDMK council will help to enhance the socio-economic
status of Muslims in Cambodia by setting up several special instiutions for the
purpose.

MMDMK chairman, Mohd Nakhaie Ahmad said for a start the council will
help the Selangor International Islamic College (KUIS) to open a campus branch
in Cambodia which would be known as Cambodia Islamic College by the end of the
year..

He said an organisation that functions like Tabung Haji would also be set up
soon to help Muslims in that country to contribute and be able to perform the
'haj'.

Nakhaie said also given focus was having 'halal' certification for canned
food from that country.

"Our efforts will be easier as the Cambodian government allows Muslim
communities in other countries to aid Muslims there," he told reporters after
receiving a 10-member delegation headed by the Cambodian Muslim Development body
headed by Othsman Hasan who is also Cambodia's minister for vocation and labour.

Nakhaie said three memoranda of understanding on economics and education
were signed.

Meanwhile, Othsman thanked Muslims in Malaysia for their continued support.

He said his organisation was trying to change the mentality of Muslims
there, who were about 40 years behind Muslims here, so that they could easily
respond to swift development.

"The Champa community which is still leaving on raft-houses will be moved to
permament places to do farming and be more competitive.

"We will use all expertise, including in agriculture and fisheries,
contributed by Malaysia and help Cambodian Muslims get out of poverty," he said.

The Muslim community is a minority group in Cambodia with about 700,000
people or four per cent of the population.

--BERNAMA