The Putrajaya Convention Center in Putrajaya will host the 10th Islamic Summit meeting

By Kazi Mahmood, IOL Southeast Asia Correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR, September 3 (IslamOnline.net) - Malaysia, which will soon assume the Chairmanship and Secretary General posts of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), is looking forward for bigger roles in the organization to influence the decision making process in the Islamic world.

A member of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the party of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, told IslamOnline.net on Wednesday, September 3, that the coming OIC conference in Malaysia this October will decide whether Malaysia will have such an important role in the future.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he said the OIC will face its greater challenge when it holds its annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur this year while Malaysia wishes to see the OIC become active and meaningful on the international scene.

Malaysia, which is preparing to host the 10th summit of the OIC at the Putrajaya Convention Center to be held uner the banner "Knowledge and Morality for the Progress of Ummah", has invited major heads of states of the Muslim world.

The country is expecting opposition from some Arab states, particularly those members in the Arab League and who would want a role in the OIC.

The country also fears the constant squabble among Arab and Muslim states may ruin the chances for a solid organization that could influence international politics and put a halt at the U.S. and Britain’s overtly anti-Islam stance in international politics, said the source.

Mahathir recently visited several countries in a bid to beat the drum and assemble the maximum top level participants in the OIC summit.

He made it clear during his visits to Syria, Turkey and Africa that he wants to see a change of mentality in the OIC and that the organization must become a powerful tool in the hands of the Muslims.

Some observers in Malaysia have even suggested the country leads the OIC for several years in order to bring the necessary changes in an organization that, according to them, has failed to deliver in the recent years.

However, others from opposition groups in Kuala Lumpur insist there must be a hidden agenda with the holding of the OIC meeting in Malaysia and the resignation of Mahathir.

They charged that the OIC summit will be used as a political tool to boost the image of the UMNO ahead of the coming elections in Malaysia.

The Party Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) fears that the ruling Malay party will use the OIC summit to declare that Malaysia is an Islamic state and there is no need for the PAS to push for an Islamic state status in Malaysia.

Malaysia became the first country to hold the post of Secretary General of the OIC after the organization was formed in Saudi Arabia.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj became the first secretary general of the OIC in 1970 after he retired as Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Malaysia had played major roles as a member of the OIC since its inception, helping in the creation of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and taking up the role as a mediator seen as fair, liberal and neutral in solving conflicts.

It was one of the eight countries in the Peace Committee which mediated between Iran and Iraq during the 1981 war.

Towards the end of his term in 1973, Tungku also set up the Islamic Council for Europe, a cooperative body among Muslim minorities in European countries, as well as the International Islamic News Agency (IINA).

However, the OIC and the IDB --  whose aims were to promote Islamic banking, spread the wealth among the ummah and help narrow the gap between the rich and the poor – had missed their targets, Malaysian observers told IOL.

Malaysia's three-year chairmanship of the OIC starts in October this year and will coincide with the almost confirmed resignation of Mahathir.

Despite rumors that Mahathir will take over the post of Chairman of the OIC, Malaysians have not confirmed who will eventually assume the post.

Mahathir himself has been quoted as saying he is not interested in the job.

Nevertheless, there are hopes among Malaysian officials that the OIC under the country’s leadership could move further towards attaining its original aims of Islamic solidarity, assisting in the liberation of Palestine, settling disputes peacefully and observing members' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Malaysia hopes that OIC will be able to function better and more efficiently with the necessary commitment and support of all its member states.

It believes the Islamic organization has a pivotal role to play to represent the Islamic Ummah especially during times of great challenge.