International Islamic University Malaysia

The founding of IIUM was first proposed by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, during a visit to the United Arab Emirates in January 1982. On January 12, 1982, the Prime Minister, in a meeting with Datuk Amar Dr. Sulaiman Daud, the Director-General of Education, Tan Sri Dato’ Hj. Murad bin Mohd. Nor, and senior civil servants and officials from local universites, formalized the decision. A committee made up of vice-chancellors, senior officers of the Ministery of Education, and representatives from the Prime Minister’s department was the formed. The initial concept paer was prepared by Tan Sri Prof. Dr. Kamal Hassan, and it was accepted after deliberation by the Ministry of Education and approved by the Prime Minister on February, 12, 198. Eventually, Dato’ Dr. Ariffin Suhaimi, who later became deputy rector- cum-acting rector at IIUM, was made chairman of the coordinating committee and project coordinator. Tan Sri Prof. Dr. Kamal Hassan was made a member of the curriculum committee which included the high profile personality who was then in the Ministry of Education, Dato’ Dr. Abdul Hamid Othman. On may 20, 1983, the International Islamic University Malaysia received the Establishment Order from His Majesty, the King, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin al-Mu’adzam Shah, after diplomatic notes and co-sponsorship were exchanged between the Malaysian goverment and Bangladesh, Egypt, Libya, Maldives, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).