14 Nov 2016
Opening Salutation
1) Mengadap Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Almu’tasimu Billahi Muhibbuddin Tuanku Al-Haj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah.
2) Mengadap Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Hami-nah.
Ampun Tuanku beribu-ribu Ampun, sembah patik pohon diampun.
3) Patik serta seluruh dif-dif jemputan pada malam ini dengan penuh hormat dan takzimnya merafak sembah menjunjung kasih yang tidak terhingga di atas perke-nan Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku Berdua berangkat bercemar duli ke Majlis Makan Malam Anugerah Kewangan Islam, Tahun dua ribu enam belas (2016), yang bersejarah ini.
4) Sesungguhnya, keberangkatan Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku Berdua ke Majlis pada malam ini sebenarnya, telah melakarkan satu sejarah yang amat bermakna kepada patik-patik sekalian dan telah menambahkan lagi seri serta akan meninggalkan kenangan yang tidak akan dilupakan. Patik mendoakan semoga Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku Berdua sentiasa berada di dalam pemeliharaan Tuhan dengan penuh kemuliaan dan kebesarannya. Pada kesempatan ini, patik dengan penuh hormat dan takzim merafak sembah, menjunjung setinggi-tinggi kasih kepada Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku atas sokongan Duli Tuanku dalam penganjuran Anugerah Diraja ini sejak ia mula diadakan pada Tahun dua ribu sepuluh (2010).
5) Patik juga ingin merafak sembah menjunjung kasih di atas perke-nan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-lah, Sultan Perak Darul Ridzuan, Penaung Diraja bagi Inisiatif Kewangan Islam Malaysia, dan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Permaisuri Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim berangkat bercemar duli ke majlis malam ini.
Ampun Tuanku.
6) Patik mohon limpah perke-nan serta keizinan Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku untuk patik menyampaikan sepatah dua kata kepada seluruh tetamu yang turut hadir menyerikan Majlis pada malam ini dalam Bahasa Inggeris.
Ampun Tuanku.
7) Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Musa Hitam, Chairman of the Jury for the Royal Award for Islamic Finance and Yang Amat Berbahagia Toh Puan Zulaikha;
Yang Berhormat Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani, Second Finance Minister;
Yang Berhormat Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry;
Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Muhammad Ibrahim, Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia;
Your Excellencies;
Esteemed Guests, Members of the Media, Ladies &
Gentlemen
Introduction
8) It is a great pleasure and distinct honour for me to welcome such distinguished guests here this evening to the 4th Royal Award for Islamic Finance Gala Dinner and Award Presentation Ceremony. I am also delighted to see that once again the guests represent a truly international cross section of industry stakeholders. We are especially honoured that Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong has graced this occasion and consented to confer this prestigious award to the deserving recipient later this evening.
9) Since the idea for this auspicious Royal Award was first mooted in 2009 – which led to the inaugural biennial Award being conferred in 2010, the Islamic finance industry has nearly doubled in size from approximately US$1 trillion as at end-2009 to US$1.88 trillion at the end of last year. Notably, this growth has been achieved despite the challenging global economic and market conditions.
Global Market Conditions and Islamic Finance Proposition
10) Indeed we meet today Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, against a backdrop of significant volatility in global financial markets and a period of continuing uncertainty on many fronts which have amplified risks and affected market sentiment and economic activity. Arguably, this period of unprecedented volatility that we are witnessing is not just a result of the recent developments in the US or the UK but a phenomenon that has continued to linger since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. The erosion of confidence, the excesses that had been observed and the perceived decoupling of the world of finance from the real economy and society at large have manifested themselves in pockets of sentiments that continue to affect financial markets. It is therefore imperative for all of us in finance to continue working towards addressing the issues at hand and finding solutions to bridge the divide.
11) In many ways, Islamic finance is uniquely positioned to offer a proposition that links real economic activity to the world of finance and provide innovative solutions that will further drive efforts towards sustainable capitalism and democratisation of finance including accessibility and opportunities for the younger demography. But in order to do this, we must continue to work collectively and collaboratively across borders and schools of thoughts to generate resolutions that will have a bearing on the way the future of finance is shaped. This is particularly important in view of the growing interconnectedness of markets and jurisdictions that in turn demands universally accepted and practicable solutions that are also increasingly required to balance commercial with social outcomes, which is an inherent feature of Islamic finance.
Your Excellencies, Ladies & Gentlemen
Royal Award for Islamic Finance
12) Recognition of the criticality of motivating such innovative ideas and thought leadership is a key driving consideration for this Royal Award for Islamic Finance initiative. Furthermore, the Royal Award is as much about honouring the pioneers who have played such a role as it is about inspiring the current and emerging leaders to chart the future of the Islamic finance industry.
13) The selection of the Award recipient from among the global-wide nominations received was ably undertaken by an international and independent jury comprising eight eminent personalities and chaired by Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Musa Hitam, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. Please allow me at this juncture to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the Jury members for their contributions, dedication and extensive deliberations in the selection process for this year’s recipient of the Royal Award for Islamic Finance.
Concluding Remarks
14) Before I conclude, I would like to express my appreciation once again to all our distinguished guests for honouring us with your presence here tonight. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Royal Award Secretariat team and other staff of the Securities Commission Malaysia and Bank Negara Malaysia who have worked tirelessly for many months to administer the Award recipient nomination and selection process earlier as well as organize this Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony.
Closing Salutation
Ampun Tuanku beribu-ribu Ampun, sembah patik pohon diampun.
15) Sekian sahaja persembahan ucapan daripada patik, dan sekali lagi patik dengan penuh hormat dan takzimnya, merafak sembah menjunjung kasih yang tidak terhingga di atas perke-nan Seri Paduka Baginda Tuanku Berdua dan duli-duli Tuanku berangkat bercemar duli ke Majlis Makan Malam Anugerah Kewangan Islam pada malam ini.
16) Semoga Tuhan memelihara dan melanjutkan usia duli-duli Tuanku dalam keadaan sihat sejahtera, serta terus memerintah di atas takhta kerajaan negara dan negeri dengan sepenuh kemuliaannya.
Ampun Tuanku.
