Kuala Lumpur: Embracing moderation and
rejecting all forms of extremism is the only way for the world
to move forward, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has
said.
Razak said acts of violence and extremism were being
perpetrated across the world by people of all faiths.
"It is not enough to say the solution to extremism is
simply for more Muslims to speak up and speak out."
"We need to hear from moderates of all religions and,
when we do, peace is there for all to see," he said in his
keynote address at the inaugural International Conference on
Global Movement of Moderates in Kuala Lumpur.
"Moderation is the best way forward," he added.
Malaysia is a Muslim majority country which has ethnic
Chinese, who are mostly Christians and Buddhists and ethnic
Indians, a majority of whom are Hindus, as part of its 28
million population.
Najib said while moderation was an age-old value that
runs right to the heart of the great religions, extremism had
never been welcomed inside mosques, churches, synagogues and
temples.
He also announced the formation of an Institute of
Moderation as part of the Prime Minister's Office to further
the pursuit of moderation and balance, including respect for
democracy, the rule of law, education, human dignity and
social justice.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 14:04