Malaysian MAIWP Delegation Visited Ibn Haldun University

Ibn Haldun University (IHU) hosted a delegation from Malaysia's Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan - MAIWP) on October 27, 2026. Led by MAIWP Chairman Datuk Syed Kamarulzaman bin Syed Kabeer, the visit provided an opportunity to strengthen institutional ties, exchange perspectives on areas of shared interest, and explore potential avenues for academic and institutional collaboration.

The visiting delegation included Dato' Haji Ahmad Azam bin Ab Rahman, Chairman of the MAIWP Zakat Collection Center (PPZ-MAIWP) and a member of MAIWP, Haji Mohd Fauzi bin Abidin, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Management) of MAIWP, and Abdul Azim bin Kamarulzaman, Special Officer to the MAIWP Chairman.

IHU was represented by Vice Rector Prof. Özcan Erkan Akgün, Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies Prof. Hacı Mehmet Günay, and Dr. Fatih Al of the Center for Applied Research in Islamic Economics and Finance (CIEF). Halil İbrahim Aksen and Gamze Kapar, Assistant Expert at IHU's International Office, also attended the meeting.

MAIWP is a public institution responsible for Islamic religious affairs across Malaysia's federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan. Its responsibilities include zakat collection and distribution, waqf asset management, social welfare initiatives, and educational assistance. The institution's experience in Islamic social finance and the governance of religious and social welfare resources offers several areas of common interest with IHU's academic work in Islamic economics, Islamic studies, and social finance.

Potential areas for future academic engagement include zakat and waqf governance, Islamic social finance, poverty alleviation, social impact assessment, and comparative studies of institutional practices in Türkiye and Malaysia. Joint research and publications, academic seminars and workshops, short-term training programs, and opportunities for student development and practical experience also represent possible avenues for further exploration.

The visit provided a basis for continued academic dialogue and potential cooperation, contributing to IHU's engagement with Malaysian institutions and opening opportunities to further develop CIEF's research and knowledge-sharing activities in Islamic social finance.