Kuala lumpur: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar is confident that the Halaqah Mubaligh ASEAN 2.0 programme will serve as an effective platform for sharing views to expand Islamic preaching at the regional and international levels. Mohd Na'im also expressed confidence that the programme, which began today and runs until Thursday, could be used as a platform to formulate more effective preaching strategies in facing contemporary challenges.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Na'im hopes the programme will strengthen ties among ASEAN preachers, discuss preacher capacity-building systems, and expand the reach of preaching in the region. He conveyed these aspirations during his speech at the opening ceremony of the programme, which was also attended by Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) director-general Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee.

The Halaqah Mubaligh ASEAN 2.0 is a strategic initiative organised by Pertubuhan Ukhwah Da'i Antarabangsa (MUDA) in collaboration with JAKIM and the Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM). It involves 150 Islamic preachers from ASEAN countries, including Malaysia. The programme plans to move to Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia, focusing on Muslim economic development, education, social issues, media, community affairs, and strengthening Muslim networks.

Sirajuddin noted that the knowledge-sharing programme is expected to better prepare preachers and missionaries to play a more effective role in bringing positive change to the ummah. He emphasized that the effort is part of the initiative to realise Malaysia MADANI by promoting values of well-being and respect through preaching delivered with wisdom, strategy, and mercy-based values.