KUALA LUMPUR, August 26 2026 Malaysia hopes that its ties with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) will be further strengthened through the exchange of knowledge and ideas, as well as cooperation that benefits both parties and the Muslim community as a whole.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this when he received a courtesy call from OCIS director Dr Farhan Nizami and Kuwait Fellow at OCIS Datuk Dr Afifi Al-Akiti today.
He said the meeting also provided an opportunity for them to exchange views on developments involving Muslims in the West, as well as ties and cooperation between Malaysia and Oxford.
“OCIS is no stranger to me. In November 2016, while serving as Deputy Prime Minister, I had the opportunity to deliver a lecture entitled ‘De-Rooting Radicalism and Extremism’ at OCIS.
“At the time, among the points I emphasised were Malaysia’s experience in preserving harmony in a multiracial and multireligious society, as well as the importance of addressing misconceptions about Islam that could fuel Islamophobia,” he said in a Facebook post.
Ahmad Zahid said that although nearly a decade had passed, issues surrounding understanding of Islam, relations between communities and the position of Muslims in the West remained relevant topics for discussion.
-BERNAMA
