KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — Malaysia’s political leaders must take a firm stand against those promoting extremist views, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, warning that peace would not be achieved even if the bigots got their way.

Popularly called Pak Lah, the man who led Malaysia from 2003 to 2009 told The Star daily in an interview published today his fears for the country with the voices of bigots and “rabble rousers” growing louder even though he believed most Malaysians were “moderates”.

“The political leadership has to take a firm stand against those espousing extreme views. We cannot be wishy-washy about it,” he was quoted saying.

“Let us not forget that in Nazi Germany, it was said that only 5 per cent believed in Hitler; the other 95 per cent were cowed into silence,” he added, quoting from 18^th-century Irish politician Edmund Burke to underline his point, “The only things necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Abdullah defined moderation in Malaysia’s context as “the avoidance of excess or extremes, especially in one’s behaviour and political opinions” taking into account the country’s ethnic mix was not limited to Malays, Chinese and Indians but said, “we are also a nation of more than 100 ethnic and sub-ethnic groups”.

Urging moderates to speak out and return to the vision of Malaysia’s founding fathers, Abdullah noted they could make their voices heard in many ways.

“In the last general election, some of the strident and more vocal extremists were voted out,” he was quoted saying.

Abdullah however, did not name anyone.

The man who mooted the concept of Islam Hadhari also welcomed the initiative by the group of over 30 former high-ranking civil servants now known as the G25 to debate on Islamic matters in public.

“We should not and cannot allow the more extreme elements to hijack this country from us,” he told The Star.