PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan, Indonesia: The 16th Borneo International Islamic Conference (KAIB) opened last Tuesday at the West Kalimantan Governor’s Hall in Pontianak, bringing together leading academics, education leaders and participants from across Borneo and beyond to foster dialogue, scholarship and peace.
The prestigious conference is hosted by Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Pontianak in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak Branch, and has drawn 125 participants with 155 papers presented across diverse disciplines.
Delegates include representatives from Sarawak, Sabah, Bintulu, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, and Germany.
Opening the conference on behalf of Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr Sahiron Syamsudin, Director of Islamic Higher Education, stressed the importance of academic cooperation to address global issues.
Also present were Marlyna Al-Muthahar, Provincial Inspector of West Kalimantan representing the Governor; Datuk Bungsu @ Aziz Jaafar, Mufti of Sabah; Datuk Abang Mohd Shibli Abang Mohd Nailie, General Manager of Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak; Prof. Dr Firdaus Abdullah, Rector of UiTM Sarawak; Azizul Zekri Abdul Rahim, Malaysian Consul in Pontianak; and rectors of partner universities across Borneo.
KAIB 2025, themed ‘World Peace, Environmental Crisis, and Inter-Civilisational Dialogue: The Second Wave’, highlights the role of academia in addressing pressing global challenges and strengthening Islamic educational institutions as drivers of civilisational solutions.
“KAIB is not only an academic forum, but also a platform for scholars to contribute concrete ideas for Borneo’s development,” said Eka Hendry, the conference chair.
Meanwhile, IAIN Pontianak’s Rector, Prof. Dr KH Syarif, added that the conference serves as a strategic collaboration platform to deepen brotherhood, promote joint research, and foster a peaceful, sustainable civilisation.
UiTM Sarawak’s Rector, Prof. Dr Firdaus Abdullah, expressed his gratitude for the partnership, praising IAIN Pontianak for successfully hosting the long-anticipated event.
The opening ceremony featured the traditional gong-beating ritual to mark the official start of the three-day conference, which runs until September 11 and includes seminars, panel discussions and cultural exhibitions.
Organisers hope that the meeting will produce strategic recommendations beneficial not only to Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei but also to the wider international community.
UiTM, Malaysia’s largest comprehensive university, plays a key role in the collaboration, leveraging its strong research record and regional partnerships to support KAIB’s mission of peace-building and sustainable development.
