CM hopes UKM’s new Chair will empower S’wak Muslims
KUCHING: The Sarawak government has allocated RM5 million to the new Sheikh Othman Sarawak Chair at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's (UKM) Islamic Studies Faculty.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he is confident UKM would fully utilise the allocation in realising the objectives of the research chair, which was named in honour of a notable ulama from Sarawak.
“It is hoped that the culture of research which will be intensified through this Chair, will provide ideas and assist the Sarawak state government in empowering the potential of Muslims in every field, especially in the aspect of socio-economic development,” he said when officiating at the handing over of a memorandum of understanding for the setting up of the Chair yesterday.
Abang Johari said the establishment of the Sheikh Othman Sarawak Chair has its own significance, especially in realising the aspirations of the state government and Sarawak Islamic Council (MIS) in strengthening ties with a national institution such as UKM, in the hope to boost the image, sustainability and progress of Sarawak as the most important region in the Federation of Malaysia.
As such, he thanked UKM Chancellor Tuanku Mukhriz Tuanku Munawir and the university's hierarchy for their readiness to set up the Chair at UKM.
The chief minister disclosed that the setting up of the Chair was a realisation of a resolution passed at the 8th Nadwah Ulama Nusantara organised in Kuching in 2018, and can be considered as one of the initiatives to explore new research fields that can drive the agenda of socio-economic empowerment of the Muslim community in Sarawak.
He also said the effort is in line with the 12th Malaysia Plan and Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy 2018-2022, which aim to comprehensively strengthen the involvement of Sarawak Muslims in the economic field in line with the development of digital economy.
“From there, we can prepare a plan to empower the potential of the Muslim community in Sarawak to continue to be involved in the field of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as modern agriculture, and empowering the human resources so that progressive and dynamic Islamic thinkers can be born from among the children of Sarawak.
“This initiative is very much in line with the naming of this Chair after a prominent Sarawakian ulama, namely Sheikh Othman Sarawak. His services and contributions in ensuring the sustainability of the Muslim community in Sarawak by producing more ulama should be emulated by today's generation,” he said.
Abang Johari also said the development of Sarawak and Malaysia must continue to be in line with the concept of civilisation articulated by Ibn Khaldun in his book ‘Muqadimmah'.
Meanwhile, the setting up of the Chair will also comprise an administrative office and a gallery on Sheikh Othman Sarawak at UKM's Islamic Studies Faculty in Bangi, Selangor.
A main hall at the faculty will also be named after the ulama.
Born in Kuching in 1863, Sheikh Othman Sarawak, whose real name was Sheikh Othman Abdul Wahab, was a prominent figure in the propagation of Islam in the state.
Educated at Masjidil Haram, Makkah, he stayed on to be among the teachers there. He passed away in 1921 in Makkah.
SMK Agama Sheikh Hj Othman Abdul Wahab or popularly known as SHOAW in Kuching was named after him.
Those present at the ceremony yesterday included Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department (Islamic Affairs and DBKU) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, UKM vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ekhwan Toriman, and MIS chairman Datu Misnu Taha.