Deputy Religious Minister Off To MABIMS Meet In Singapore
By M K Anwar

Bandar Seri Begawan - Pehin Dato Paduka Ustaz Hj Yahya, the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, left the country yesterday morning to attend the unofficial annual meeting of religious ministers from members Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore or MABIMS held in the Lion City.

This marks the first time Singapore has hosted the event. MABIMS was established on August 7. 1989 and it is one of the regional cooperations in the religious field.

Brunei was host of the first MABIMS meeting in 1989 and also a range of others that followed.

The one-day gathering will take place today and the theme chosen this year is `Building a Progressive Islamic Society.'

Besides the working paper on building a progressive Islamic society that should be prepared by other members of MABIMS, Brunei will also be bringing its own entitled `Family V olence,' which is going to be discussed at the senior official meeting.

At the same time, the gathering will hear reports in the field of cooperation that was agreed on, involving an exchange of printed publications, research and spreading of Al-Quran centres, the role of mosques as well as working guidelines in the administration of MABIMS.

A total of 21 cooperative fields have been agreed upon so far.

Important agreements that are expected to be reached at the end of the meeting will cover issues involving the preserving of Islam's good name as a religion and harmony with other faiths in the member-countries of MABIMS.

Present yesterday at the airport was Pehin Dato Seri Utama Dr Ustaz Hj Mobil Zain, the Minister of Religious Affairs, and wife.

Also in attendance to bid the Deputy Minister farewell were Hj Othman Hj Momin, Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and senior officials from the ministries.

Earlier on December 6, a group of senior officers from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, led by Dato Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Yusoff Hj Ismail, its Permanent Secretary, departed for Singapore to attend the senior official meeting of MABIMS. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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