KUCHING, April 6 — Mastering knowledge and fostering an innovative society are forms of “jihad”, or struggle, in driving national progress and strengthening the economy in line with the Malaysia Madani vision, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.
Fadillah, who is also minister of energy transition and water transformation, said the ongoing crisis in West Asia has highlighted key sectors with strong potential for development, including food security, finance and energy.
He noted that Malaysia still relies heavily on imports, particularly in food supply.
“In the context of food security, we still import rice and many prefer imported fruits. The question is how we can gain control of these sectors, whether we continue importing or produce locally… this too is a form of jihad.
“It presents an opportunity to build our domestic economy so that we no longer channel funds abroad for imports, allowing resources to remain within the country to support development and uplift our society,” he said when officiating the “Jelajah Kongres Jihad Bisnes 2026” programme organised by Dewan Perdagangan Islam Malaysia (DPIM) here today.
Fadillah said economic opportunities are also expanding in the services sector, including finance, as well as in energy and water, which require expertise and skills to be fully harnessed.
He stressed that DPIM plays an important role as a platform to bring together entrepreneurs and industry players to support one another and strengthen collaboration networks in advancing the ummah’s economy.
He said such efforts must be supported by strong knowledge, skills and sound business practices so that the benefits can be enjoyed not only by entrepreneurs but also by society as a whole. — Bernama
