JOHOR BARU – The Foreign Ministry has slammed far-right Dutch politician Edwin Wagensveld for desecrating the Quran at The Hague, Netherlands on January 22.
Edwin, the leader of Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West, was described by Wisma Putra as an extremist, Islamophobe, and right-wing in a press statement today.
“Malaysia is saddened by these acts of Islamophobia that are being repeated despite receiving global condemnation.
“These hateful and criminal acts against Islam must end immediately.
“Malaysia vehemently believes that the right to free speech must come with responsibilities and cannot be misused,” the statement by the ministry said.
Wisma Putra also urged the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and Human Rights Council to tackle matters pertaining to Islamophobic acts to find solutions that would promote respect for all religious scriptures.
On January 22, Wagensveld was filmed on video tearing pages of the Islamic holy book before setting it on fire.
His actions come after Rasmus Paludan, a far-right Swedish leader burnt a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden.
Rasmus’ actions drew worldwide condemnation from Muslim communities, including Malaysia, with celebrities such as Caprice calling to boycott Swedish companies such as Ikea and H&M. – The Vibes, January 27, 2023
