SEREMBAN, Aug 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Turkiye president Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that Malaysia and Turkiye jointly find a way to face the issue of Islamophobia.
The Prime Minister said the Turkiye president had made the suggestion during a telephone conversation with him three days ago.
“He calls me often, at least once a month, to talk about various matters, family matters or just catching with the latest development and it was during such a conversation that he suggested both of us find a way to increase efforts to overcome the issue of Islamophobia, he did not ask PAS, he does not know the Bersatu president either.
“He suggested we work together, so I said I would and I have asked him to prepare the mechanism (with which we could achieve that objective) and he proposed we meet in New York at the United Nations meeting in September,” he said at the Madani Unity Tour in Negeri Sembilan.
The Prime Minister added that such a suggestion came about because Malaysia’s standing in the eyes of the world and confidence that the Turkiye president has in Malaysia’s ability to fight the western regime on the issue of burning the Al-Quran.
He added that Malaysia remains firm on issues related to religion and forbids any kind of insult to any religion in the country.
“Our first reaction to the burning of the Al-Quran, was to protest the act, our Foreign Minister called up the Swedish Ambassador to express our disgust and condemnation of the act, then we ordered a million copies of the Al-Quran to be distributed throughout the world and 15,000 Swedish language copies were sent to Sweden, that was our response to the act of burning the Al-Quran.”
Anwar, who is also the Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) chairman, said the campaigning period for the state elections which involves a coordination between Harapan and Umno and which enters the final stage of campaigning, is a new effort to strengthen the unity, safeguard the country’s status in the eyes of the world and ensure Malaysia becomes a nation that earns the respect of the world.
“In the discussion between Harapan and Umno, we decided the principles in the constitution must be respected, Harapan and Umno both agreed this was the best way to to save the nation and to bring about change.
“If we want to uplift the Malays and other races and turn Malaysia into a leader in Southeast Asia. We need to move away from the old ways and that is what we are doing.”
Anwar also urged voters to choose leaders who were fielded by the Unity Government so that all races can enjoy the benefits and ensure that no race would be left on the sidelines.
— Bernama
