ISLAMIC ARTS CAN CHANGE NEGATIVE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WEST

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- Information, Communications and Culture
Minister Dr Rais Yatim said Islam should not be viewed from the violent and
negative aspects but in terms of other perspectives such as the Islamic arts
which can change the negative perception of the West on Islam.

"Islam is capable of presenting a fine culture that is not seen by the other
civilisations especially the western world," he said after the declaration of
Kuala Lumpur as the City of Islamic Culture 2009, here Tuesday.

Earlier, the Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin officially declared
Kuala Lumpur as the City of Islamic Culture 2009.

The King, who arrived at the Islamic Arts Museum at 10.30 am and accompanied
by Rais, spent more than 40 minutes visiting Islamic arts exhibition held in
conjunction with the declaration.

Rais said Malaysia could carry the aspects of Islamic arts through the
staging of musical, literary and theatre shows abroad.

In order to achieve this objective, Malaysia must work together with the
other Muslim countries in the Asian region such as Indonesia and Brunei, he
said.

He said Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) would also undertake programmes to
project Islamic arts in an effort to ennoble the Islamic arts as well as efforts
to bring programmes that carried Islamic elements to the Asean member nations.

Meanwhile in his speech, Rais said the progress of a nation was gauged in
terms of its ability to balance between economic progress and the civilisation
and culture of its community.

"Culture always influences the civilisation of a particular community, thus
Malaysia must always strive to ensure that culture and arts formed the thrust in
shaping a modern community," he said.

Towards achieving the objective of 1Malaysia, the Information,
Communications and Culture Ministry would enhance understanding of the concept
by intensifying the implementation of several programmes, he said.

More than 215 programmes and activities based on Islam would be carried out
throughout the year in conjunction with the declaration of Kuala Lumpur as the
City of Islamic Culture.

This year, Kuala Lumpur was chosen by the Organisation of Islamic Education,
Science and Culture as one of the major cities in the world which were declared
as the City of Islamic Culture after Baku in Azerbaijan, Kairouan in Tunisia and
N'Djamena in Chad.

More than 300 guests including foreign ambassadors were present at the
declaration ceremony.
-- BERNAMA