Malaysia offers expertise to IsDB members through Kuala Lumpur Centre
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia’s readiness to share its experience in empowering small businesses, strengthening economic resilience and creating jobs, while supporting Kuala Lumpur’s role as a knowledge-sharing hub for Islamic Development Bank member countries.
Malaysia is prepared to expand its international development cooperation by sharing its experience in supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), strengthening economic resilience and creating employment opportunities, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said following a meeting with Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) president Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser.
Anwar said discussions with Al Jasser focused on Malaysia’s development experience and its potential to benefit other IsDB member countries, particularly those seeking to strengthen their economies through entrepreneurship, business development and job creation.
Malaysia’s experience in empowering MSMEs could provide a valuable resource for countries seeking practical approaches to inclusive economic growth, particularly as developing economies navigate structural challenges and seek to create more sustainable employment opportunities.
Anwar also reaffirmed Malaysia’s willingness to share its expertise and deepen development cooperation at the international level, positioning the country as a partner in knowledge exchange and capacity-building among IsDB member states.
A key element of this effort is the proposed strengthening of the IsDB Centre of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur, which Anwar welcomed as a platform for sharing knowledge, expertise and development experience.
The centre could help connect Malaysia’s experience and capabilities with the development priorities of other member countries, providing opportunities for collaboration in areas such as entrepreneurship, institutional capacity-building and economic development.
The initiative also reflects a broader opportunity for Malaysia to contribute to international development through the exchange of practical expertise, rather than relying solely on conventional financial assistance.
For Kuala Lumpur, an expanded role for the centre could strengthen its position as a regional platform for development cooperation, bringing together policymakers, institutions and practitioners to share solutions to common economic challenges.
Anwar said closer cooperation with the IsDB would help expand Malaysia’s role as a credible development partner while bringing the expertise of its younger generation to the international stage.
“I also emphasised Malaysia’s readiness to share its expertise and expand development cooperation at the international level,” he said in a post on a social media post.
He mentioned that this was discussed during a meeting today with IsDB president Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, reflecting a continued confidence in the nation’s development trajectory and governance.
“God willing, this close collaboration will further enhance Malaysia’s role as a credible development partner, while bringing the expertise of our people to the global stage,” he added.
The emphasis on youth expertise also highlights the potential for Malaysia to contribute through its emerging professionals, entrepreneurs and technical specialists, whose experience could support capacity-building and knowledge transfer across the IsDB network.
The IsDB is a multilateral development institution that works with its member countries to support economic and social development. Its network provides a framework for cooperation among countries seeking to strengthen development capacity and improve economic opportunities.
Malaysia’s engagement with the bank offers an avenue to share domestic development experience while building partnerships that could create opportunities for Malaysian institutions, businesses and professionals to contribute to projects beyond the country.
The next step will be to translate the proposed strengthening of the Kuala Lumpur centre into practical programmes that connect Malaysia’s expertise with the needs of member countries, particularly in MSME development, entrepreneurship and employment generation.
Such cooperation could reinforce Malaysia’s contribution to the wider development agenda of the Islamic world while giving Kuala Lumpur a more prominent role in international knowledge exchange.
