MALAYSIAN PM NAJIB CALLS FOR WORLD UNITY TO PROMOTE MODERATION

From Mokhtar Hussain

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Bernama) – In his maiden speech at the United Nations
General Assembly Monday, Najib Tun Razak urged all nations to "choose
moderation over extremism" in an effort to promote international peace and
harmony.

The prime minister urged world leaders to embark on building a "Global
Movement of the Moderates" from all faiths to work together to combat and
marginalise extremists, whom he said, had held the world with their bigotry and
bias.

"It is time for moderates of all countries, of all religions to take back
the centre, to reclaim the agenda for peace and pragmatism, and to marginalise
the extremists.

"This Global Movement of the Moderates will save us from sinking into the
abyss of despair and depravation," he said.

Expressing concern with the increasing trend in some parts of the world to
perpetuate or even fuel Islamophobia, the prime minister said it had intensified
the divide between the broad Muslim world and the West.

"The real issue is not between Muslims and non-Muslims but between the
moderates and extremists of all religions, be it Islam, Christianity or
Judaism."

He said all religions had inadvertently allowed "the ugly voices of
the periphery to drown out the many voices of reason and common sense".

The Islamophobia phemonenon escalates following proposals to build a mosque
in the vicinity of Ground Zero, the site of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks
which destroyed the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan.

Speaking from the dark green marble podium of the UN General Assembly hall,
Najib said: "We must choose moderation over extremism. We must choose
negotiations over confrontation. We must choose to work together and not against
each other. And we must give this effort utmost priority for time is not on our
side."

Najib also praised US President Barack Obama and New York Mayor Micheal
Bloomberg for rising to the recent challenge by affirming the rights of
supporters of the Cordoba House to be located near Ground Zero.

He said Malaysia supported the objectives of the Cordoba Initiative as
the
organisation focused on promoting, peace, understanding and moderation, both
between Muslims and non-Muslims and within Muslim communities.

Najib also commended efforts by the American Evangelical Christians in
trying to prevent the threatened burning of the Quran with compelling argument
that it was in fact un-Christian to burn the Quran.

He said all countries should encourage and support initiatives that
promoted mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, and reject the extremists.

The prime minister also took the opportunity to relate Malaysia’s experience
in managing issues of diversity, saying that its multi-racial, multi-religious,
multi-cultural and democratic society had managed to create an "equilibrium"
that led to moderation or "wasatiyyah" in the Islamic tradition of mutual
justice.

Najib also explained that the 1Malaysia concept which he had introduced was
aimed at bringing all Malaysians together in a just and harmonious relationship.

Touching on the Middle East peace process, Najib said there were three
prerequisites that needed to be addressed.

Firstly, he said, Israel must stop the new settlements in the West
Bank and Jerusalem; secondly, there should be political unity among the
Palestinians; and lastly, both the Israelis and Palestinians must eschew
violence and respect international humanitarian law and human rights law.

The prime minister also told the 192-nation body that the Malaysian
parliament had condemned last May’s brutal attack by Israeli soldiers on the
humanitarian convoy in international waters.

"We want to see the perpetrators responsible for the attack be brought to
justice and adequate compensation for the innocent victims of the attack.

"We want the UN to act justly and decisively, without fear or favour, in a
manner that would ensure transgressions of blatant international laws are dealt
with and that justice is done," he said.

Najib had arrived last Thursday with wife Rosmah Mansor to lead
the Malaysian delegation to the UN General Assembly. While here, the prime
minister had joined leaders of Southeast Asian nations at the second Asean-US
Summit, hosted by President Barack Obama.

Earlier Monday, Najib held discussions with UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon
at the UN building here.

-- BERNAMA