GEORGE TOWN, Aug 6 — Malaysians have been urged to keep their  eyes open and be vigilant in order to maintain the country’s peace and stability so that foreign countries cannot easily intervene in the affairs of Muslim nations.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the people should take heed of what was happening in other Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa which were suffering due to foreign intervention.

"If we look at the geographical demarcation, almost the entire Islamic world is not in a safe state. If we look at North Africa, countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Morocco, they are in a situation which is not considered to be 100 per cent peaceful and stable.

"If we go to the Middle East, we can see that the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries are surrounded by conflict zones. The leftover oasis of peace and stability that have yet to be disturbed are Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.

Reezal Merican was speaking at a press conference after opening the Jelutong Wanita, Youth and Puteri Umno meetings here today.

He was commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s proposal that the Muslim world should reject foreign intervention, as it has clearly led to devastating results in many countries. 

In his special address at the opening of the 12th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in Jakarta, Indonesia yesterday, Najib said the Muslim world must make it clear by rejecting such intervention, which is often based on incomplete, wrong or partisan information. — Bernama