The MABIMS (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore) forum of Religious Affairs Ministers holds a strategic position as a platform for strengthening religious cooperation among countries in the region.


Jakarta (Indonesia Window) — Indonesia is set to host the 50th Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) of the MABIMS (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore) Religious Affairs Ministers, scheduled for November 1–4, 2026, in Jakarta.

Indonesia's Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar stated that MABIMS holds a strategic position as a platform for strengthening religious cooperation among countries in the region.

The shared characteristics of their societies, as well as the challenges faced by each nation, serve as a foundation for sharing experiences and best practices.

"MABIMS must become an increasingly productive space for bringing together the experiences of countries in the region. We share many similarities, yet each country also possesses best practices that can be learned from and developed together for the benefit of the community," the Minister said on Tuesday (September 29, 2026).

The 50th MABIMS SOM will be attended by delegations from the four member countries—Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore—with each scheduled to send five delegates.

The meeting is part of MABIMS' collaborative efforts to discuss various Islamic-related agendas while strengthening coordination among member states.

MABIMS cooperation does not stop at the exchange of ideas at the governmental level, the Minister noted, adding that the forum needs to generate knowledge and cooperation models that can be translated into tangible benefits for the public.

"Religious cooperation becomes truly meaningful when the outcomes of our discussions are felt by the community. Therefore, we need to align ideas with concrete practices that have proven beneficial in each respective country," Nasaruddin stated.

Highlighting best practices for building a civilized Muslim society

The 50th Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) will also feature a seminar titled 'Khairu Ummah: Best Practices in Building a Civilized Muslim Society,' serving as a platform to share experiences regarding community development within MABIMS member countries.

The theme frames the development of the Muslim community not merely within the religious sphere, but also in terms of how religious values ​​can be translated into a peaceful, productive, and civilized social life.

"The challenges facing Muslim communities today are increasingly complex and cannot always be resolved by a single country acting alone; therefore, regional cooperation offers a space to find common ground while enriching the approaches taken by each nation," he stated.

"We want the Muslim communities in this region to be not only strong in their religious lives but also capable of embodying religious values ​​to foster peace, compassion, and civilization. The spirit of 'khairu ummah' (the best community) must have a tangible impact on our shared lives," the Minister added.

The 50th SOM also serves as a pivotal moment to strengthen the sustainability of MABIMS cooperation. Through the exchange of experiences and best practices, the four member countries aim to develop collective responses to the various religious and social challenges emerging across the region.

Reporting by Indonesia Window