Bridging Gap Between Muslims And The West; 'Moderate' Malaysia Should Take The Lead Says Kofi Annan

Malaysia with it multi-ethnic identity and moderate approaches, must strengthen its leadership in the the Muslim World to bridge the gap between Muslims and the West, former United Nation's secretary-general Kofi Annan said.

He said Malaysia was a shining example of a progressive and prosperous Muslim nation despite the mistrust and confrontation by certain quarters towards the Muslim world. "It is a leader in the Muslim world and yet I detect a reticence to invoke this convening power. You should not be afraid to do so, for you will find an eager audience. The world is looking for new voices of moderation and reason; don't wait to be asked."

Annan, who hails from Ghana, said this in his address at the Khazanah Merdeka series of lectures here Thursday night launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Annan said, closer proximity and improved communication as a result of globalisation had often led not to mutual understanding and friendship but to mutual mistrust.

He said many people in the world, particularly in the Muslim World, saw the West as a threat to their values and beliefs. Likewise, the West dismissed Islam as a religion of extremism and violence despite the history between the two. "It is vital that we overcome these resentments, and establish relations of trust between communities. Malaysia can help do this by showing a very different face to the world, one where differing people of different faiths coexist peacefully," he said.

He also praised the Islam Hadhari concept promoted by Abdullah which is aimed at striking a healthy balance between religious dogma and mastery of knowledge needed to tackle modern global challenges. (Bernama)

***** We should feel honoured that our country is considered a voice of moderation by the outside world. Whether we truly deserve the accolade is of course another matter and is debatable. The moderate tag may have been more accurate and appropriate a few years ago. However with the spate of court cases recently regarding conversions and apostasy, the reluctance of the government to initiate inter-faith dialogue and the increasingly worrying divide between Muslims and non-Muslims even within Malaysia, what justification do our authorities have, to claim or even speak on behalf of moderate Islam?
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