By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has again criticised the narrow-mindedness and intolerance propounded by a small group of people and has urged his countrymen to adopt a moderate path.
“Over the last few months, narrow-mindedness and intolerance, propounded by a small group, have served to test our faith in each other,” he said in his Christmas message.
Malaysians should move forward and put the country’s interest before any narrowly defined demands,” he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper Wednesday.
Malaysia has been in the news following a protest rally staged by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which claims to speak for the Indian ethnic community, who form eight percent of the country’s 27 million people.
Hindraf organised a rally Nov 25 that attracted an estimated 10,000 people. Although it was peaceful, police dispersed it using water cannons and tear gas.
Thirty-one protestors were prosecuted, while five of the Hindraf leaders are in jail for two years under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA).
Malaysia rejected concerns raised by India and the US, terming it ‘interference in its domestic affairs’.
Noting that there was a lot in common between Islam and Christianity, he said: “Despite all the rhetoric, the great religions of the world practised across Malaysia share many universal beliefs.
“If moderation does not take centre stage, extremism will take the place and we will all be dragged into it, whether it comes from the basis of religion, race or groups,” he warned.
“This is what we should watch out for, this is what it give us problems,” said Badawi in his speech at a Christmas tea party organised by the Christian Federation of Malaysia and hosted by Kuala Lumpur’s Archbishop Murphy Pakiam.
He also called on the people to uphold the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect that they had been practising in a multi-racial community.