KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 ― The upcoming 2019 Kuala Lumpur Summit has received an encouraging response with participants from 52 countries confirming their attendance, to date.

Summit co-secretary general Tan Sri Samsudin Osman noted that preparations for the Kuala Lumpur gathering had been in the works over the past few months.

"Thank god, to date, we have over 400 participants who have confirmed their participations including more that 250 from abroad.

"The foreign participants are from 52 countries (to date). Indeed, I did not expect (participations from) so many countries,” he said when interviewed on the organisation of the summit in the Assalamualaikum programme produced by TV Alhijrah which is the official broadcaster for the conference.

The December 18-21 gathering would be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), located near the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

The Kuala Lumpur Summit, aims to, among others, to deliberate and find new and workable solutions for problems afflicting the Muslim world, and contribute towards improving the state of affairs of Muslims and Muslim nations.

The summit also seeks to form a network between Islamic leaders, intellectuals, scholars and thinkers from around the world, and revive the Islamic civilisation.

Samsudin said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan were expected to join Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the summit.

Dr Mahathir is KL Summit chairman.

"So, on December 19, we will be receiving the attendance of the four foreign leaders other than many more dignitaries from other countries for the opening session,” said Samsudin.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah is scheduled to open the event.

Meanwhile, Samsudin pointed out that Dr Mahathir had engaged Muslim intellectuals, scholars and thinkers on ways to overcome problems affecting the Muslim world even when he was outside the government.

It was from these interactions, he said, that Dr Mahathir saw the need to convene a gathering such as the KL Summit.

Dr Mahathir made a comeback as prime minister for the second time in 2018. He had been the prime minister from 1981 to 2003. ― Bernama