‘Peace hinges on selection of the right leadership’

PEKAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the issue of governance and the selection of the right leadership is closely related in determining peace and harmony in the country.

Najib said the wrong choice could lead the country into chaos and turbulance as experienced by many other Islamic nations such as in Syria which saw Muslims in those countries being threatened and pressured.

“God tells us to obey Him, and obey the Messenger and ruler/ leader, that is the principle of Islam, whereby the question of governance and leadership cannot be separated.

“An upheaval will happen due to leadership failure if people are not put in their rightful places, and we all will face hardship as had occured in other Islamic countries,” he said.

He was speaking at the handing over of Ramadan donations to mosques and surau in the Pekan parliamentary constituency at Masjid Pulau Serai, here, yesterday.

Also present was Pahang State Assembly Speaker Datuk Ishak Muhamad.

Najib, who is also the Pekan Member of Parliament, said the people in the country should take a leaf from the fate of Muslims in Syria, who were downtrodden and forced to undergo bitter experiences due to the turbulence occurring in their country.

“Recently, we received the second group of refugees from Syria. Malaysia has offered places for 3,000 refugees.

“The stories they have to tell are indeed horrifying, about what they had to face and go through, as such it is a reminder to us,” he said.

Najib said the principle of wasatiyah or moderation in governance adopted by the government all these while was also the key to national harmony and peace.

According to Najib, all the approaches adopted by the government also enabled all its implemented policies to be wellreceived including among nonMuslims in the country.

“This is because we have made the right choice by adopting the wasatiyah approach, which squarely meets Islam’s actual requirement, namely, not too tight, and at the same time not too loose and liberal.

“We are at the centre because that is what Islam wants so as not to be lop-sided, and practice moderate policies.

“This eases acceptance by both Muslims and non-Muslims,” he said.

Meanwhile, 226 mosques and surau received cash and dates in preparation for Ramadan. — Bernama