Malaysia Can Champion Moderate Movements At Global Stage - Islamic Scholar

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia as a moderate Muslim country can play a bigger role to promote and champion the cause for moderate movements at the global stage, a prominent global Islamic scholar said Friday. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (lef) said the Global Moderate Movement (GMM), which was mooted by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, can play a bigger role as an intermediary body to help resolve problems and misunderstanding faced between the West and the Muslim world. "At the same time, traditional organisations must also adapt to new approaches for them to deal with the current challenges more effectively," he told reporters after giving a public lecture titled "Cordoba Initiative: Its Mission in Healing US-Muslim World Relation" at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) here, Friday. When asked to comment on the move by the Western-led sanctions on Iran over the republic's nuclear enrichment program, Imam Feisal, who is also chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, said the decision will not result in Tehran bowing to their demands. Citing what had happened to Iraq during the Saddam Hussien's era, he said the sanctions imposed had no impact on the late dictator and his regime at large. He pointed out that instead sanctions would only impoverish and hurt the people. In his lecture, Imam Feisal, who is a trained physicist, said government leaders need to be more proactive in engaging all segments of the society, as an effort to combat extremism. He said engagement with the society at large is also the key to deal with the many challenges faced by the modern world today. "We need to engage them as stakeholders of society. When they feel that they are part of the stakeholders and that there are outlets for their energy, they are less likely to break windows. "There are always ways we can do it together. Let's be creative in finding the solutions," he said. Imam Feisal said while extremism cannot be eliminated completed, it could be attenuated through strategic and tactical approaches. "Like street crime, we will not be able to eliminate it completely, at least, we can reduce the rate, for example by policing," he added. (photoBERNAMA) MALAYSIA