KUALA LUMPUR – The rise in Islamophobia is a cause for concern, with Muslims subjected to continuous and unjustified defamation and prejudice, said Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
“Indeed, Islamophobia traps the world in a vicious cycle. The net result is continued hatred,” said the foreign minister during a meet-and-greet session with heads of mission from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states here today.
He added, however, that many of the ills facing the Muslim world are self-inflicted.
Hishammuddin said there is the impression that global terrorism and extremism have “gone quiet”, with the Covid-19 pandemic overtaking the news.
“In the past year, we have been so preoccupied with the coronavirus, but terrorism and extremism continue unabated.
“It is true that we have successfully dealt with two waves of global terrorist attacks over the past two decades, but we have not successfully dealt with the underlying source, which is a ‘war on the hearts and minds’ of young Muslims around the world.”
The Muslim world must prioritise combating poverty and hunger, he said, noting that some of the world’s poorest nations have a Muslim majority.
“So, where do we go from here? The key is for us to accept our differences, find a common ground on the issues we face, and move forward together. We can either choose to remain victims on the sidelines or do something about it and take our place in the world.”
He added that access to Covid-19 vaccines must be guaranteed for all, and there should not be any discrimination by countries with regard to the type of jabs people receive.
“Malaysia believes that countries should not discriminate against inoculated persons based on the type of vaccines they get.”
Hishammuddin said the Rohingya issue must be dealt with properly, especially given the current situation in Myanmar, to prevent an influx of refugees in Malaysia and neighbouring countries.
“In Malaysia, we have 200,000 Rohingya… can you imagine if the situation in Myanmar worsens, and we have more Rohingya on our shores?”
The minister said he and his Asean counterparts have been working on ways to resolve the crisis arising from the February 1 coup by the Myanmar military.
“Rohingya comprise only 1% of the overall 80% refugees around the world who are Muslims.” – Bernama, April 19, 2021
