Newly-appointed International Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) Malaysia president Rais Yatim plans to make UIA more well-known as a premier university in the country.

He said besides emphasising on Islamic civilisation, UIA should make pioneering contributions to excellence in Islamic commerce and banking.  

“As UIA president, I am responsible not only to the government, but also the country and ummah in ensuring IIUM becomes a champion and achieve greatness in certain fields.

“As a premier university in the country, we should see it as a survival and we will try our best honour the syariah and civil law relationship, apart from producing ideas that can be implemented in the struggle," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on his first day on duty today.

Present were UIA rector Prof Dr Zaleha Kamarudin.

Rais was appointed UIA’s sixth president effective June 2, replacing Mohd Sidek Hassan whose term ended on June 1.

- Bernama