In Kuala Lumpur, ISNA attracted the attention of the majority Muslim population hailing it as a truly Islamic organization. ISNA created havoc in the Malaysian capital city when it retracted its invitation to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to speak at its meeting in Chicago.

This action by the American based group has given a sense of confidence to the Malay led "Reform" movement in the country. Judging by the support ISNA now has in Malaysia and in the region altogether, Muslims of various other organizations desire that ISNA become the UN of the Muslim world.

In Indonesia, the President of the Riau Club, a socio-cultural organization that commands respect among Indonesian intellectuals and professionals living outside Indonesia, requested that ISNA become a central worldwide organization.

"Such an organization should have existed years ago. The Muslim people do not have a central organization where they can express themselves and take actions that pleases the masses." Isa Muhammad, Secretary General of the Club told Islam Online.

Ahmad Damha of Stopinjustice, an online Muslim Human Rights organization, requested via email to Islam Online that ISNA take the lead in rights issues affecting Muslims worldwide. "The American based organization is basically American oriented. However we believe that it can make use of its power base and the support it can now gather in Asia to be more worldwide and open to other Muslims."

"In the world of Internet technology, Islam is gaining momentum. It was a commendable thing to do to repulse Mahathir. It will be more commendable and justified if ISNA, for example, became a representative body of the Muslim people." Damha wrote in the email.

The same point of view has been expressed from countries like Seychelles Island and Canada. Youth clubs in St. Louis, the capital city of Seychelles Island in the Indian Ocean requested that ISNA become the head of the Muslim Ummah. The Seychelles has roughly 2000 Muslims, mostly converts from Christianity and strongly supported by Libya, especially in the 1980's.

The Seychelles Muslims are very strong in their association with the Muslim Ummah worldwide and their interpretation of an Ummah-type of leadership is based on the fact that Islam is border-less. They believe that the Ummah needs a strong international organization, be it in the U.S. or elsewhere, to serve the needs of Muslims worldwide.

"Muslims worldwide feel that organizations like the UNCHR and the Arab League or the OIC have failed to represent the Ummah in international forums, or any where else for that matter. They only represent themselves and have constantly failed to serve and better the lot of the Ummah." Ahmad Damha said.

"If such an organization like ISNA would allow Muslims outside the U.S. to join it, that would mean an internationalization of the group, making it more popular among the Ummah and allowing it to serve and lead in many situations too."

Muslim students, NGOs, and several others agree with the idea that there be a central worldwide organization which could represent the Muslim nation on an international basis. The people of Islam believe that the Muslims are divided into "a million and one" organizations that it is difficult to see which one should lead.

I. Muhammad of Indonesia added that ISNA would then become part and parcel of the Ummah if it were to internationalize its popular base. "With the Internet technology growing at lighting speed, ISNA would also grow at such a pace. The Muslim population worldwide needs such a powerful organization to defend and represent them," he concluded.

Meanwhile in Chicago, at the ISNA convention itself, where a Malaysian Pavilion had been set up in expectation of a large delegation representing various companies from the country, eight to ten stalls stood empty Friday.

The stalls still had signs indicating the absent companies: Malaysian Airlines, Tourism Malaysia, Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Malaysia Development Corporation, and the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC).

All the absent companies are either wholly or partially owned by the Malaysian state, which Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad heads.

Only two booths were open in the Malaysian Pavilion, both occupied by private corporations; one selling mattresses, and the other, an art and carpet vendor.

One of the vendors offered only that they were a private company, and that all the other absent corporations were state-owned.

When queried as to the possibility whether the state-owned corporations were absent due to ISNA's invitation withdrawal of Mahathir Mohamad, the individual gave a shy smile and shrugged, indicating that he would rather not comment.

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