A gift that should be preserved

PETALING JAYA: Muslims who truly appreciate the spirit of Aidiladha will be able to foster brotherhood and unity among Malaysians, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.

He said the unity and peace we have in Malaysia is a gift that should be preserved.

“Be assured that this Aidiladha which we are celebrating, if truly appreciated, will surely foster the spirit of unity among us as Malaysians and Muslims in general.

“This appreciation allows us to maintain brotherhood, unity and willingness to sacrifice, while avoiding selfishness,” he said in his Aidiladha message at www. najibrazak.com.

Najib noted that this year’s Hari Raya Haji celebration is special as the country is also celebrating its 60th National Day as well as the nation’s victory at the SEA Games, that ended on Wednesday.

“Muslims who ignore the principles of unity will open a space and opportunity for the enemies of Islam to break through, weaken and destroy Islam and its people.

This unity and peace is a gift that is very precious and must be maintained. In fact, it is compulsory for us to be fair among people even if they are from different religions and beliefs,” he said.

The celebration has been enhanced by the joy of successfully sending the highest number of Haj pilgrims in Malaysia’s history, he added.

In thanking the Saudi government for its pre-clearance pilot project for Haj pilgrims for Malaysia, Najib said this has smoothened the travel process for the pilgrims.

“We are the first country in the world to be allowed to go through the pre-clearance programme for Haj this year and our pilgrims do not need to go through passport and Customs inspections in Mecca and Madinah.”

He added that the programme reflects the close ties between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.