World community lauds a moderate Malaysia
MIRI: The world community has always held high regard for the policy of moderation practised by Malaysia.
According to Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, although Islam is the country’s official religion, people of other faiths and beliefs have been living harmoniously with one another, practising tolerance and supporting each other’s programmes for good cause.
He was speaking at the groundbreaking of the new mosque project in Kampung Bakam here yesterday.
“We should continue to safeguard the good image of Islam. These noble teachings as advocated in Islam should be extended and translated into a wider context,” he added.
Meanwhile, Taib said the Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman would plan for the hosting of an Islamic conference in the state this August.
Thus, he hoped that such meeting would serve as a good platform to uplift the image of Islam among the non- Muslims, especially those from foreign countries.
He acknowledged that the image of Islam had suffered from the series of terrorist acts by extremist group Islamic State ( IS).
“The number of those involved in IS is very small — not even one per cent of the whole Muslim community in the world.
“What they ( IS) have done is totally against what is advocated in Islam — the religion never teaches its followers to indiscriminately kill, or even torture people.”
On this, he reminded the Muslims never to subscribe to extremism, reminding all those living in the multiracial society like Sarawak to uphold and preserve the good existing relationship with other communities.
Later at the function, Taib presented RM250,000 to finance the construction of the RM3 million new mosque, adding to the RM100,000 fund by Sarawak Islamic Council ( MIS).
The project also received funds worth RM50,000 from Daud, Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office ( Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais ( RM10,000), Assistant Minister of Early Childhood Education and Family Development Rosey Yunus ( RM10,000), Sibuti MP Ahmad Lai Bujang ( RM35,000), Lambir Assemblyman Ripin Lamat ( RM50,000), PPB publicity chief Datuk Yusuf Sani Wahab ( RM10,000), SUPP Piasau chairman Datuk Sebastian Ting ( RM10,000) and Shin Yang Group of Companies ( RM10,000).
With such generous contributions, the Masjid Baru Kampung Bakam Construction Committee had collected a total of RM535,000 for the project.
Earlier, Taib officiated at the opening of the village’s multipurpose hall, of which the fund for the project was contributed by him during the last state election in 2011.