Chief of Association of Muslim Scholars visits Cambodia, praises promotion of inter-faith harmony

CAIRO – 26 June 2022: Within the framework of the tasks of the Muslim World League (MWL) in promoting coexistence and harmony among national communities, including the Islamic components in countries with religious diversity especially their religious minority, and at an official invitation from the Cambodian side, His Excellency Secretary General of the MWL and Chairperson of the Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa visited the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Association said in a statement on Sunday.

During his visit, His Excellency Dr. Al-Issa held extensive meetings with the governmental and parliamentary officials. Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Mr. Hun Sen, received Dr. Al-Issa at the Government premises in the capital, Phnom Penh.

Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa expressed his appreciation for the remarkable Cambodian national model with regard to co-existence and the harmony of its diversity in the Cambodian community especially attention to its Islamic national component and giving it all national rights and religious privacy in Cambodia.

Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, praised the distinctiveness of the Islamic component in the Kingdom of Cambodia and its complete harmony with all patriotic components in an image of cohesion reflecting the level of religious and national awareness among all Cambodian components. In this context, the Prime Minister appreciates and respects the religious privacy of the Islamic component, its freedom to practice its rites whereas the Cambodian kingdom seeks to grant all rights to this Islamic component in the Kingdom’s constitute like other Cambodian components alike.

Dr. Al-Issa also met with Chief Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Dr. Othman Hassan, who described Al-Issa’s visit, at the head of a delegation from the Muslim World League, as “historic". Al-Issa confirmed that he was highly received and welcomed by the whole Cambodian people in general and the Islamic component in particular. Activities, events and agenda of the visit were highlighted in the Cambodian media outlets, especially meetings of the MWL leaders with His Majesty the King of Cambodia, the Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker, Senate President along with a number of vice- prime ministers who hold a number of important ministerial portfolios.

Dr. Al-Issa extended gratitude to the Chief Minister, expressing his happiness for visiting the Kingdom of Cambodia, and noting the values of love and tolerance characterizing the Cambodian people.

In the context of his official visit, His Excellency Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, Dr. Al-Issa, was a guest of the Cambodian Parliament, at its premises in the capital, Phnom Penh, where he met with Heng Samrin President of the National Assembly (Parliament) and members of Parliament.

The Speaker of the National Assembly commended the global and “key” role of the MWL in promoting the harmony of national community, stressing that the Cambodian Islamic component lives in freedom and tolerance with the rest of the national components and that this constitutional value represents for the Kingdom of Cambodia a constant and a national priority. The Speaker of the National Assembly affirmed the government's keenness to empower Muslims in Cambodia socially and economically to have an effective representation in the government, as well as its keenness on granting Muslims their religious rights, freedoms and the practice of their rituals.

The Cambodian Senate, presided over by Say Chhum, hosted His Excellency the Secretary-general of the Muslim World League, where a meeting was held with the President of the Senate and a set of its members in the presence of head of the Education, Religions, Culture and Tourism Committee of the Senate, the Chairman of the Investigation, Monitoring and Anti-Corruption Committee, and the Chief Minister of Islamic Affairs.

The President of the Senate lauded the visit of His Excellency Dr. Al-Issa on behalf of the Islamic peoples under the umbrella of the Muslim World League, noting that His Excellency Dr. Al-Issa’s visit will strengthen and deepen the future of relations between Cambodia and the peoples of the Islamic world.

Mr. Chhum stressed Cambodia’s keenness to grant its Islamic component all rights without discrimination.  His Excellency extended gratitude to the MWL due to its distinctive positions supporting the Cambodian people in all their crises without discrimination including relief, education and health care.

For his part, Dr. Al-Issa stressed that the visit expresses great appreciation for the Kingdom of Cambodia, and for its remarkable model of coexistence, tolerance and peace. Cambodia has overcome the painful troubles of the past with a sincere national will that reflects the true and sincere awareness of the peace-loving Cambodian people.

As part of his meetings with Cambodian leaders, Dr. Al-Issa met with His Excellency vice- Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Mr. Sar Kheng, where they discussed a host of issues of common interest, focusing on issues of community peace. He stressed the great importance of the contribution of religious and community leaders to strengthening national and international security. He said: “We count a lot on this communication carried out by the Muslim World League with its project calling for the peace of diverse societies at the religious, ethnical and cultural levels through practical and successful methods of understanding. He also emphasized that this project builds national societies and stimulates them towards development and growth, and eradicates over time wrong or criminal ideas through the will of a conscious society, which is the strongest element in facing those ideas that threaten peace and stability.

The Minister praised the contributions of the MWL at all intellectual and humanitarian levels, and its appreciated stance with the Kingdom of Cambodia during the Coronavirus pandemic.