MITI MINISTER EXPLAINS 1MALAYSIA TO STUDENTS IN CAIRO

From Jeffri Mohd Rafiee

CAIRO, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa
Mohamed kicked off the second leg of his trade and investment mission to
three Arab countries with a dialogue with Malaysian students here.

Shortly after checking in at a hotel on late Tuesday, he left for the
Malaysian Hall at Khazindar Street Abbasiyah.

The "Dewan Malaysia Abbasiyah Kaherah" was packed with Malaysian students,
eager to hear the official version of the 1Malaysia concept.

During the dialogue, he explained that the thrust of 1Malaysia was to
preserve unity and ensure no Malaysians felt they were being marginalised.

"Unity, justice, under the concept of 1Malaysia is based on the Federal
Constitution," he explained.

He added that it did not in any way undermine the position of Islam as the
country's official religion nor the privileges enjoyed by the Malays.

Among other issues raised by the students was a suggestion to extend the
teaching of J-Qaf to secondary schools, the need to promote health tourism in
all aspects including medical engineering, and concern over the dwindling number
of Malaysians being sent to Cairo to study Islam while those undergoing medical
courses was on the increase.

Malaysian students in Egypt number about 8,000 and in Cairo alone, totaled
3,413 and of this number,891 are studying medicine and 2,522, Islamic and Arabic
studies.

After the dialogue, Mustapa had a quick dinner at the same place with
representatives from Malaysian companies in Egypt.

He later met with the Egypt-Malaysia Business Council chairman, Dr Sherif
El-Gabaly.

Earlier, before leaving Doha, Mustapa made a courtesy call on Qatar Prime
Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Al Thani.

He also met separately with Qatar Islamic Bank chairman, Sheikh Jassim Bin
Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani and Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry
vice chairman, Abdul Aziz Rahim Al Emadi.

Qatar Islamic Bank commands a 51.4 per cent share of the local Islamic
banking market and holds a 70 per cent equity in the Asian Finance Bank
Malaysia.

In Doha, Mustapa spent three days promoting trade and investment with Qatar.
He heads for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday before proceeding to the capital,
Riyadh.

--BERNAMA