Kuala lumpur: Cooperation among the global Muslim business community is essential to strengthening its collective capacity and positioning it as a real potent economic force, said Global Muslim Business Forum president Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Rawther. He said the Muslim community is far from being a marginal market player, given its collective strength of nearly two billion people and its rapidly expanding economic footprint across the Muslim world.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamed Iqbal emphasized that the Muslim community, known as the Ummah, could be a dominant economic force. He stated that cooperation is not optional but essential, as the Muslim world moves together and shapes markets. He delivered these remarks during his opening address at the Global Muslim Business Forum 2025, an event aimed at fostering economic linkages and organized in collaboration with the KSI Strategic Institute, the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD), and Global One, a United Kingdom-based UN-accredited NGO. The forum assembles policymakers, business leaders, scholars, and innovators to develop strategies for the global Muslim community.

Mohamed Iqbal, also serving as the deputy chairman of the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, highlighted Malaysia's proactive role in engaging with the Muslim community. He noted Malaysia's strategic position as a bridge connecting Southeast Asia, the Gulf, South Asia, and the wider international system. Malaysia has consistently promoted dialogue, moderation, and economic cooperation, particularly in Islamic finance, halal standards, and trade facilitation. As the ASEAN chair in 2025, Malaysia is uniquely positioned to foster collaboration between the East and West, a role it has embraced confidently and effectively in recent months.

With a global Muslim population of 1.9 billion and growing, Muslims are a significant demographic and economic force globally. In 2022, Muslim consumer spending reached US$2.29 trillion, driven by sectors such as halal food, pharmaceuticals, modest fashion, travel, and media.