UMNO IS AN ISLAMIC PARTY, SAYS PM

SIK (Malaysia), Sept 11 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Mohd Najib Razak said
Umno is truly an Islamic party although it does not use the 'Islamic label'
in championing the cause of Islam and the country.

He said Umno (United Malays National Organisation) had actually looked after
and raised the living standards of the Muslims by eradicating poverty through
various government programmes especially the Federal Land Development Authority
(Felda) land schemes.

"In Islam, poverty is akin to sacrilege and for the past 53 years, Umno had
strived to eradicate poverty among the Muslims by opening Felda land schemes. Is
this not demanded by Islam?" he said when attending a breaking of the fast event
at a Felda area here Thursday.

He said the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government led by Umno had brought
development to the country by churning out Muslims who were respected and with
the most modern technology and military.

"We need not carry the label 'development with Islam' because we have been
championing the cause of Islam for a long time and had provided a prosperous
life to Muslims because we don't want the Muslims to be poor and without
strength," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that Islam wanted the ummah to transform for
the better and this was what Umno had been doing.

"We always strive to bring improvements to the people. If we had started
with Lurah Bilut (Felda Lurah Bilut) before, where the people who had no land
previously, they now own 10 acres of land.

"By coincidence, it was my late father (Abdul Razak) who had set up Felda.
He used to walk with his walking stick and wore the bush jacket, walking
hundreds of miles purely to give land and eradicate poverty," he said.

Najib also said that Muslims must learn from the various achievements of
Islam during the month of Ramadan including the Badar war.

The Prime Minister later gave away cash and special aid to the Felda
settlers.
-- BERNAMA