Over the next 20 years, Asia will continue to surge, led by the re-emergence of India and China, and a revitalised ASEAN. Japan, will remain an important player in Asia. However, as a mature economy, Japan is not expected to grow as fast as India and China. This evening, I will focus on India, China and ASEAN in-between. India on the march First, India. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on India's Independence Day this year that India is "certainly on the march". The Prime Minister is a modest man who is not given to exaggeration. Today, India is attracting attention from foreign investors and world leaders alike. Over the past 12 years, India grew by an average of 6.5% per year. Growth was even higher, at 8% per annum, over the last three years. I believe that India will continue to grow at a fast pace for two main reasons. First, in India, old mindsets are being tossed aside in favour of pragmatic policies supporting reform and liberalisation, and integration with the global economy. India's market reforms have stayed the course despite several changes of governments and Prime Ministers. Business leaders, too, are prepared to compete against foreign companies and foreign investors in India. Early this year, I met with the Chief Minister of West Bengal in Kolkata. The state has been under communist rule for 30 years. The Chief Minister, one of the politburo members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was keen on foreign investments.

It thus aims to effectively meet the information requirements of bankers, financiers, statisticians, economists, researchers and prospective investors as well as increasing awareness of both domestic and foreign users. Moving forward, the website will be linked with other markets to serve as a platform for exchanging information and knowledge beyond our own borders. Ekspo Perbankan Islam dan Takaful adalah satu lagi saluran informasi yang menghubungkan institusi kewangan Islam secara langsung dengan pelanggan. Sehubungan ini, saya menggesa institusi kewangan Islam mengambil kesempatan untuk memasar dan menawarkan produk dan perkhidmatan mengikut keperluan mereka. Saya difahamkan, ekspo pada tahun ini turut disertai beberapa buah negara asing. Sesungguhnya penyertaan mereka ini akan memberi kesan positif kepada usaha-usaha kita untuk menjadikan Malaysia sebagai pusat kewangan Islam serantau. Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan, Usaha kita ialah untuk membangunkan sebuah sistem kewangan Islam sebagai satu proses perantaraan yang dapat menyumbang kearah memperkayakan sumber ekonomi secara menyeluruh bagi menjana pertumbuhan dan pembangunan yang lebih besar. Selaras dengan perkembangan semasa, institusi kewangan Islam perlu bersedia untuk menghadapi cabaran dan peluang dalam memenuhi kehendak ekonomi yang sentiasa berubah. Prospek masa depan dan kejayaan industri perkhidmatan kewangan Islam bergantung kepada gandingan usaha semua pihak iaitu pengawalselia, industri, peserta pasaran dan masyarakat umum. Sehubungan ini, saya ingin mengucapkan syabas dan tahniah kepada AIBIM di atas usaha berterusan untuk menganjur Ekspo Perbankan Islam dan Takaful ini sebagai acara tahunan. Dengan lafaz Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, saya dengan sukacitanya merasmikan pelancaran “Ekspo Perbankan Islam dan Takaful 2004”. Terima kasih. 2  BIS Review 56/2004