As reported on the official website of the Master of International Relations (MIHI) Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), MIHI once again held a Lecture Series on Thursday, January 2nd, at the MIHI Study Hall, 2nd Floor, UMY Postgraduate Building. The theme discussed was “The Kuala Lumpur Summit and the Future of the Islamic World”.
According to Dr. Surwandono, S.Sos., M.Si, who was the speaker in this limited academic discussion, the Islamic world is currently experiencing a Trade War and a Cyber War. Based on his research, he explained that the most peaceful country in the world is Iceland. Then the highest technology index is Sweden, followed by Singapore, the United States, and Denmark. In this aspect, none of the Islamic world is in a promising category.
In the Islamic world, Qatar is a country that has been isolated by Saudi Arabia and its allies in the region. Saudi Arabia, as a major country in the Islamic World, is the promoter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). However, the OIC is currently viewed as merely a tool for Saudi Arabia to maintain its hegemony. The main patron countries in the Islamic world are first, Saudi Arabia. Second is Egypt as the source of various emerging movements and thoughts. Third is Iran with its advanced technology. Then the new patron in the Islamic world will be Malaysia with its economy, Turkey with its mature diplomacy, and Qatar as a small country with political stability. Erdogan, as the leader of Turkey, has very good diplomatic skills.
Qatar is a country that has been embargoed by its neighboring countries. However, it remains stable. Qatar’s economy is not shaken at all, and even its per capita income tends to be stable. During the embargo, Qatar was very active in resolving conflicts. While Saudi Arabia was boycotting Qatar, Qatar forged close relations with Turkey and Iran. Of all the countries in the Islamic World, Qatar has the best democracy index.
He further stated that the Islamic Summit organized by Malaysia was considered less productive. Another word for the Islamic Summit is the Kuala Lumpur Summit. The event was attended by scholars and organizations, not politicians or government representatives. It was viewed as merely an academic event. The Kuala Lumpur Summit was initiated by Mahathir Mohammad. This Islamic Summit was not very “exciting” because Saudi Arabia seemed to sabotage this forum as it was considered a counter or negating the OIC which is ‘led’ by Saudi Arabia.
Some observers also view the event as merely a domestic politics that was internationalized by Mahathir Mohammad to eliminate Anwar Ibrahim again. Therefore, the head of the MIHI study program views that this event was unsuccessful. Furthermore, the Kuala Lumpur Summit is seen as being able to widen the divisions in the Islamic World. So we cannot expect much that this forum will answer the problems faced by the Islamic world today.
This limited academic discussion was also attended by several lecturers from the International Relations study program such as Sidiq Ahmadi, S.IP., M.A., Zahrul Anam, S.Ag., M.Si., and Ali Maksum, S.Sos., M.A., Ph.D., and Dr. Ahmad Sahide, S.IP., M.A.
