1.7 billion Muslims could strengthen Islamic economy

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – A greediness to dominate over the world by powerful nations and the loss of humanity have been making most of Muslims around the world under oppressions.

Most of them even live in wars with the risk of losing their lives, family and relatives, lack of clothing and food, and being displaced from their homelands.

It might be not a major factor in saving the honor of Muslims, but strengthening the economy of 1.7 billion Muslim populations worldwide could be an early and most tangible action to strengthen Muslims globally.

At the 2019 Kuala Lumpur Summit on Thursday (Dec 11), Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad urged Muslim countries to be independent by producing their own products and take advantage of the 1.7 billion Muslim market to strengthen their economy.

He said Muslim countries, which have abundant of natural resources, should source from each other to produce the products in order to serve the market, Bernama News Agency reported as quoted by Indonesia Window here on Friday.

“When we do that, we’ll become stronger. It is important that we learn how to produce things by ourselves,” he said during the question-and-answer at the first round-table session themed the Priority of Development and the Challenges.

Turkey, for example, has ventured into technology sector by producing latest defence equipment, Dr Mahathir said.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister stressed that there was a need for strong cooperation among the countries to ensure natural resources sustainability.

“If we sourced the things that we need from Muslim countries, then obviously our wealth will stay within the Muslim community and we become richer,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also reminded Muslims that their countries could be more independent when they are strong in economy.

“If we are too dependent on everything from other countries (especially) from the west, hence we’ll always be dependent rather than independent,” he added.

The Kuala Lumpur Summit is an international platform for Muslim leaders, intellectuals and scholars from around the world to discuss and exchange ideas and issues on the Islamic world.

Reporting by Indonesia Window