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By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 19: Chinese Muslim role model Dato Mustapha Ma was awarded the Outstanding Chinese Muslim Award for Lifetime Dakwah at the International Chinese Muslim Conference (ICMC) 2023 Gala Dinner at Waterfront Hotel earlier tonight.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg presented the award to him at the event.
Mustapha is the founder and life member of two large national non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Malaysia—the Malaysian Islamic Welfare Organisation (Perkim) and the Malaysian Anti-Drug Association (Pemadam).
For his long and distinguished voluntary services, Perkim elected him as an honorary member in September 2018 and awarded him the Perkim Role Model Award in November 2019.
Three other Outstanding Chinese Muslim Award recipients at ICMC 2023 were architect Muhammad Ridha Lua Abdullah for the Technology category, scholar Ustaz Abdul Qadir Leong for the Islamic Scholar category, and businessman Dato Muhammad Chan Abdullah for the Entrepreneur category.
Also present at the dinner were Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian; Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Malaysia, Ouyang Yujing; Sarawak Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah; Sarawak Islamic Council (SIC) president Datu Misnu Taha; and Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (MACMA) president Datuk Prof Dr Taufiq Yap Yun Hin.
At the same time, Ouyang, in his speech, said China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years.
Last year, China’s direct investment in Malaysia accounted for one-third of Malaysia’s total foreign direct investment (FDI).
He also mentioned China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) saw both countries’ cooperation in flag-ship projects of “Two Countries, Twin Parks” and East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), which have brought tangible benefits to local people.
“Since 2012, China has been Malaysia’s largest non-Asean tourist source country, with 17.8 per cent of Malaysia’s total tourism income coming from Chinese tourists.
“This year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim have reached an important consensus on jointly building the China-Malaysia community with a shared future. It is a milestone in history which will unfold a new chapter for China-Malaysia bilateral relations,” he said. — DayakDaily
