'KL Summit' undergoes name change to 'Perdana Dialogue'

Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah delivers his Royal Address to officiate the KL Summit 2019 closing ceremony. - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur Summit, a platform to discuss issues faced by Muslim countries, will be known as the Perdana Dialogue from now on, announced Perak's Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.

The Sultan of Perak said that the "significant name change" would be in effect at the next gathering.

"This is, I believe, a hugely significant name change – reaffirming this summit's commitment to the power of collaboration and conversation, while at the same time emphasising the responsibility that befalls us all, to ensure that the outcomes of these discussions are implemented without delay," he said.

He announced this during his royal address at the closing ceremony of the KL Summit held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Saturday (Dec 21).

In his address, Sultan Nazrin also spoke of the need for Muslim countries to lend assistance to their fellow Muslims who are refugees.

He recalled how a Syrian refugee remarked in 2015 how he would tell his children that "Syrian migrants fled their country to come to Europe when Mecca and Muslim lands were closer".

As more than a third of the 26 million refugees worldwide come from Muslim-majority countries, he said Islamic nations must step up and provide aid.

"The Muslim world can do much more, particularly as it develops and grows in wealth and power.

"For Muslims everywhere, the enduring message should be this: that Muslims rendered nationless should not have to hazard the perilous journey to Europe in order to feel safe, comfortable and secure.

"As Muslim nations become more prosperous, more stable and more developed in terms of technology, education, and work opportunities, they become better placed to offer hopeful, safe and productive lives to refugees seeking fresh hope and new homes," he said.

The fifth edition of the summit, themed "The Role of Development in Achieving National Sovereignty", discussed issues such as Islamophobia, the incarceration of Muslims around the globe and mass migration of Muslims due to civil wars.

Held from Dec 18 to 21, the conference is expected to host 450 delegates comprising intellectuals, politicians and leaders from 56 countries of the Islamic world.