A new milestone for the Muslim community in the Southeast Asian region was marked in the city of Malang, East Java, Indonesia. On June 16, 2012, the Association of Moslem Community in ASEAN (AMCA) was officially declared.
This declaration of AMCA was the result of a formulation by a team comprising representatives from various ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and the Philippines.
Dr. Latipun, who was subsequently appointed as the Secretary-General of AMCA, stated that this declaration signifies the beginning of a new era for the ASEAN-wide Muslim community in anticipation of the future ASEAN community. “We are starting a new chapter in the historical development of Muslims in ASEAN. This marks the beginning of the struggle for Islam in modern ways in accordance with the demands of modern society,” he said.
The AMCA Declaration text was read by Prof Mohammad Zain Musa from Cambodia, who represented the 14 signatories who signed the historic document in Malang.
In its declaration, AMCA conveyed five main objectives:
- To strengthen mutual understanding, relationships, and cooperation among fellow Muslim communities in ASEAN.
- To strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful ASEAN Muslim community.
- To strengthen social progress and cultural development.
- To encourage collaboration and cooperation in various shared interests.
- To foster and maintain mutually beneficial cooperation with other international organizations that have similar objectives.
This declaration of AMCA in Malang is expected to be a solid initial step in strengthening unity and cooperation among Muslim communities throughout the ASEAN region.
