PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will not allow Islamophobia to continue unabated as this would complicit the country in violating fundamental human rights.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said Muslims should have the right to profess their faith without fearing discrimination, persecution, and intimidation as the right to believe and practise one’s religion is enshrined in international law as a fundamental human right.
“I am strongly worried that there is an absence of a strong, united response from the Muslim world to combat Islamophobia. Indeed, the silence that permeates through us is a worrying trend.
“Together, the Muslim world has a considerable amount of resources at its disposal however, there is a lack of a holistic strategy to mobilise these resources to create actionable change,” he said during his welcoming remarks at the International Forum on Islamophobia : Meaningful Engagement through MADANI Discourse.
He said the root cause of Islamophobia lies in misinformation, thus it is often linked to broader social and political issues, such as xenophobia, racism, and anti-immigrant sentiments that are also fuelled by a lack of unbiased information.
“Addressing these underlying issues is critical in rebuilding tolerance and respect for all walks of life. By doing so, we are fulfilling our duty to uphold the fundamental human rights of all individuals while building a more inclusive and equitable society,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said Malaysia will continue to play a leading role in spearheading Malaysia MADANI’s agenda in promoting the tenets of Islam and combat Islamophobia at the international fora.
“Through the values and principles which Malaysia MADANI holds, this will restore the trust that Malaysia had among the Muslim Ummah,” he said.
The concept of Malaysia MADANI was introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Jan 19, based on six pillars, namely Sustainability, Prosperity, Innovation, Respect, Trust and Compassion.
He added Wisma Putra’s unwavering commitment to combat Islamophobia on a global level with other leading actors such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will remain strong.
“Islamophobia can only be adequately addressed if all parties work together to fight it. We must speak out against prejudice and injustice, support our fellow Muslims, and stand with them in solidarity,” he said. – BERNAMA
