KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — Malaysia as an Islamic nation is faced with threats on multiple fronts as extremists on both ends of the spectrum are putting the nation’s security and harmony at risk, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
The prime minister said the sanctity of Islam has been tarnished by the acts of radical extremists such as the Islamic State (IS) while “liberal extremists” have undermined the faith.
“These liberal extremists have weakened everything including religion. This is also one extreme that presents a threat to national security and harmony,” he said in a brief Ma’al Hijrah address posted on his blog.
Najib said Malaysia must look to the history of Prophet Mohammad’s exodus from Mecca to the city of Madinah, which went through a transformation from its old identity as Yathrib – which translates to regret – to being known to this day as Madinah Munawarah or the City of Light.
He said this transformation becomes a historical guide in the creation of the country’s national vision of becoming a modern and high-income Islamic nation and its global ambition of creating a world of many nations, races, languages and religions that is harmonious and prosperous.
Recounting his speech at the recent 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Najib said it becomes the role of an Islamic nation to promote competition in terms of honour, knowledge, goodness, sympathy and humility, without any coercion.
Najib urged the nation to hold true to the principle of wasatiyyah or consultation and remain in line with the principles of shariah in the pursuit of the country’s transformation.
“Even with the economic and political challenges, with the grace of Allah Taala, we will move forward in our dream to become a developed and prosperous nation,” he said.
