Soeharto to open Islamic conference on technology
Soeharto to open Islamic conference on technology
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto will open the first
conference of The International Islamic Forum for Science,
Technology and Human Resources Development next Friday, while
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to
give an address.
The forum, also known by its acronym IIFTIHAR, will establish
a "plan of action" rather than study Islamic concepts on issues
such as science, technology or human resource development,
according to organizers.
"The event will be action-oriented, not a conceptual one,"
announced conference chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie at a press
conference here yesterday.
Some 400 local and foreign participants of the three-day
conference will discuss strategies for accelerating human
resource development, and exchange views on science and
technology development. However, the gathering is also expected
to foster international cooperation among Moslem communities.
The "plan of action" will address developing databases for
information networking, exchanging experts, conducting training
and research, and establishing Islamic centers.
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro,
scholar Imaduddin Abdulrachim, and Ahmad Totonji of Saudi Arabia
attended the press briefing.
The Jakarta-based IIFTIHAR is a non-governmental organization
founded in Mecca on June 2 of this year by leaders of six Islamic
organizations. They were B.J. Habibie of the Association of
Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), Ahmad Mohammad Ali of
Islamic Development Bank, Saleh bin Obeid of Mecca-based The
Moslem World League, Abdullah Musleh of The Commission on
Scientific Miracles of the Quran and the Sunnah, Tawfik Al-Shawi
of The International Federation of Arabic and Islamic School and
Ahmad Totonji of The International Institute of Islamic Thought.
The forum appointed B.J. Habibie chairman.
Totonji told The Jakarta Post that Habibie was elected
chairman and Jakarta named the forum's center because Indonesia
is already noted for science and technology development.
"We hope we can benefit much from the forum because Indonesia
is the model for other Moslem countries," Totonji said.
About 97 percent of Indonesia's 195 million population are
Moslems. (03)