KUALA LUMPUR, November 22, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – A Malaysian minister has said that the standardized Islamic laws between states is almost ready and may be implemented by next year, according to news reports.

Abdullah Md Zain, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said that three bills had been gazetted so far, while the Islamic Laws Bill would be tabled in the Parliament next month, Malaysia’s Bernama News Agency reported Monday, November 21.

He named the three bills as the Civil Procedure (Mal), the Criminal Procedure and the Court Evidence, adding that another Bill on Islamic Religious Administration was still being studied.

"All states, except for one or two has yet to gazette the Bill which had been passed," he told reporters after opening a seminar on Islam Hadhari (Civilizational Islam) at the Malaysian Institute of Islamic Understanding (IKIM).

Abdullah said the standardization of the laws would help ease the Islamic administrative matters between the states which had previously encountered difficulties when it comes to enforcement.

Muslim Malays comprise about 60 percent of Malaysia’s 26 million people, while ethnic Chinese and Indians - most of them Buddhists, Hindus and Christians - make up about 35 percent. The rest are indigenous people and Eurasians.

On Islam Hadhari, he said during his recent visit to Egypt and Jordan, he found that efforts to implement the concept wer largely undertaken by non-governmental organizations but in Malaysia, it was implemented by the government.

Earlier, Abdullah said Muslims became weaker as they had become over reliant on others, not ambitious and weak in terms of economy and military.

"The colonial masters took the opportunity to manipulate the Muslims' views and weaknesses.

"Hence, the principles highlighted by the Civilisational Islam was hoped to be able to make Muslims realise that they had to wake up from their sleep," he said.

The concept has the capacity to generate strength for a nation because it gave emphasis to various matters including knowledge, economy, culture, moral values and defense, he believes.

He believes the concept has the capacity to generate strength for a nation because it gave emphasis to various matters including knowledge, economy, culture, moral values and defence.

The two-day-seminar was jointly organized by IKIM and the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM).

Malaysia offers the image of a very successful Muslim country, 60% of the population are Muslims, heading towards the status of developed nation with huge buildings, beautiful cities and a fast track economy that is doing well despite recent shattering events.

Malaysia, the current chair of the Organization of Muslim Countries (OIC), is also leading a push for Muslim nations to focus on economic development, build trade links with each other, and develop their financial sectors.