MALAYSIA: MODEL FOR ISLAMIC COUNTRIES

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's success, especially in
education, science and culture, serves as a model for the Islamic world to
emulate, notesIslamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Isesco)
Director-General Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri.

"We have to mimic the progress of Malaysia, the changes that it has made
in this beautiful country to encourage other Muslim countries to invest heavily
in education, science and culture, so that the Islamic world can benefit
from available resources and facilities that will make our member states
compete," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after calling on Information, Communication and
Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim here Monday.

Abdulaziz is here for the launch of Kuala Lumpur as the Capital of Islamic
Culture for 2009 Tuesday.

The Malaysian Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin will launch the event.

Kuala Lumpur was chosen as one of four major cities of the world at the
Islamic Conference of Ministers of Culture 2006 in Libya.

Like Kuala Lumpur, Baku in Azerbaijan was selected as the Capital City of
Islamic Culture for the Asian region while Kairouan in Tunisia was chosen as the
Capital City of Islamic Culture for the Arab region and N'Djamena in Chad as the
Capital City of Islamic Culture for the African region.

In conjunction with the celebration of Kuala Lumpur as the Capital of
Islamic Culture, Isesco would implement 12 activities in collaboration with the
Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture and other ministries.

Abdulaziz said, among the proposed activities included Isesco setting up a
language centre at Selangor International Islamic University College (Kolej
University Islam Antarabangsa Selangor) to promote Arabic language, which would
be a hub to train teachers and educators from Isesco's member countries in the
Asian region.

Touching on Kuala Lumpur as having been selected as the Capital of Islamic
Culture, he said the city nominated must enjoy a confirmed historical status
and have an outstanding contribution to both Islamic culture and universal
culture, confirmed through scientific, cultural, literary and artistic works of
its scholars, artists, intellectuals and authors, he said.

Asked what he expected of Kuala Lumpur as the Capital of Islamic Culture, he
said, among others, the city was expected to shed light on its history and
contributions to civilisation in general.
-- BERNAMA