##n 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.

of takaful in the eyes of the public and further widening the industry ’ s growth prospect. with this aim in mind, it is critical for industry players to leverage on the readily available channels to reach to the masses and employ agents and bancatakaful to the fullest to maximise its potential. the third dimension of growth which is integral to the nation ’ s high income agenda relates to the opportunities to be harnessed under the initiative to consolidate malaysia ’ s position as an international islamic financial centre ( mifc ). as industry is well aware, the mifc initiative seeks to enhance the international dimension of malaysia ’ s islamic finance. the prospect is most compelling for the takaful industry. malaysia is already at the forefront in the development of takaful, particularly family takaful, compared to other market. building on our strengths, experience and achievements, the malaysian takaful industry with the highest number of takaful and retakaful operators, is well - positioned to seize the enormous opportunity to export takaful benefits to the estimated 1. 5 billion muslims around the world whom are currently underserved by the insurance industry. this presents a huge window of opportunity for our takaful operators to accelerate their regional and global orientation and move up the global value chains. it is therefore important for strategic international partners such as ing to explore all possible avenues to elevate the business potential of takaful internationally. a critical factor that will determine the success in taking the industry to the next level of development is the existence of players with the right quality and calibre, as well their readiness in terms of capacity and capability to formulate and execute successful strategies in response to new market opportunities. in this rapidly evolving environment, responsiveness to consumer needs is a crucial test that defines success. the takaful industry in malaysia has never been about shariah conformity being its only value proposition. with consumers becoming increasingly discerning and the market being more competitive, factors such as innovative product design, price competitiveness, transparency and service quality have all been important determinants in winning and securing customer loyalty. the ability of takaful operators to deliver such value propositions has been, and will continue to be, amongst the key success factors to successfully position takaful in malaysia to appeal to both muslim and non - muslims, whether corporates or individuals. it is our earnest aspiration that the entry of ing public takaful ehsan will further add