KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today praised the move by the surau and mosques in Penang that opened their doors to flood victims in the state to seek shelter regardless of religion and race recently.

The prime minister said the move was one of the examples of the 1Malaysia Negaraku spirit that should be emulated.

"To me, the move by the surau and mosques which opened their doors to the flood victims regardless of religion and race was most appropriate and one that must be praised,” Najib said through his entry in his official website in the Facebook, today.

Najib said Islam taught its followers to love one another, and he took the example of the story on the Prophet (pbuh) who offered protection to everyone regardless of their religious background when they needed help.

"As stated in the verse At-Taubah, he had said "And if anyone among the non-Muslims who asked for protection from you, then you should protect him/her,” Najib said.

Yesterday, the media reported that the Taman Free School Surau in Georgetown had allowed about 70 flood victims involving the Chinese and Indian communities living in the surrounding areas to seek protection at the surau following the sudden increase in water level there.

Heavy rainfall and strong winds which lasted several hours on Saturday had inundated almost all areas in Penang up to one meter deep which resulted in more than 6,000 victims to be evacuated to the flood relief centres with seven lives reported lost. — Bernama