PUTRAJAYA – It is the collective responsibility of the ummah to not only defend Islam but also present the image of the religion positively to showcase its beauty and true values, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
As such, Zambry said, Malaysia is ready to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation with Indonesia and Brunei, as well as through multilateral forums, in matters of great importance to Muslims.
“I am very concerned that there is no strong and united response from the Muslim world to fight against Islamophobia.
“The ‘silence’ that permeates among us is truly a worrying trend. Together, the Muslim world has a large number of resources at its disposal.
“However, there is a lack of a holistic strategy to mobilise these resources to create change,” he said during a forum titled “Islam dan Islamofobia: Ke Arah Libat Urus Bermakna Menerusi Pendekatan Madani” held at the Prime Minister’s Department, here, today.
Elaborating further, Zambry stressed it is important to realise that there is much work to be done by Muslim countries to combat Islamophobia.
Muslims, he said, should not be hindered by helplessness in the face of systemic discrimination against Islam by the West.
“There needs to be a collective global effort to unite Muslim countries, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, Islamic scholars, and individuals,” he said.
According to him, one of the concrete steps taken by some countries to combat Islamophobia is passing legislation that punishes hate speech and discrimination against Islam.
However, he opined that such efforts cannot be limited to that alone.
“Knowing that Islamophobia is rooted in misinformation, we must continue to promote understanding and celebrate diversity, challenge hate crimes, and take steps to ensure that the rights and dignity of all people are respected,” he said.
He added that Muslims must also start educating the public about the true nature of Islam to ensure that they are not confused with other issues such as terrorism or religious extremism, which the religion strongly opposes.
Malaysia, he said, stands as a successful modern model for a Muslim-majority country with multiple religions, cultures, and races living in harmony.
“I suggest that this undertaking be done under the auspices of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, to affirm its global commitment to deal with this phenomenon (Islamophobia),” he said.
For that purpose, he said, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has presented a forward-looking vision for Malaysia.
“Malaysia Madani, as described, presents the aspirations of a civilised, skilled, and inclusive society based on six core values, namely sustainability, prosperity, innovation, respect, trust, and compassion.
“This vision is well received by our Muslim brothers and sisters around the world,” he added. – The Vibes, February 27, 2023
