MALAYSIA: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi urgently promotes Islam Hadhari to counter rising radical Muslim ideology

Malaysia's leader stepped up a drive to promote his own brand of moderate Islam, taking a swipe at cynics who fear his message is being subverted by Islamic conservatives. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, an Islamic scholar whose voice of moderation has won admirers abroad, is battling a tide of Islamic conservatism at home that threatens to undermine his own agenda. Badawi spoke to residents at his hometown to promote "Islam Hadhari" or "contemporary Islam"-- his answer to the more extreme Jihadi brands of Islam seen in the Middle East. The prime minister kicked off a three-day Islamic Hadhari show at a village in his northern home state of Penang. "There are already some signs from groups who don't quite like us that don't agree what we stress about Islam Hadhari and try to ridicule it--so there may be people who hate Islam Hadhari. If this is the intention of these people, I think this is a big mistake committed by them." Abdullah said Muslims should unite to be strong and reject the narrow view of Islam in order to make progress. Businessman Mohamad bin Salleh, who attended the launch was convinced after hearing the Prime Minister Abdullah's speech. "Islam Hadhari that was launched today is very good for all races and bring success and prosperity for our country", he said. Housewife Nashita Mohd Noor believes the prime minister has a political agenda-- she believes he wants to win the support of the majority of Muslims in this multi religious country, just like previous Umno leaders. Noor recently participated in ISA or the Internal Security Act rally-- the law allows detention without trial. "People who are detained under ISA, have no rights, receive no rights, they are tortured and brutalised. How can we find things like this in Islam Hadhari, right? Citizens are being brutalised without trial," said Noor. Abdullah's comments about narrow views comes just a month after he rebuked an official of a northern state who had proposed to hire Islamic "spies" to snoop on unmarried Muslim couples and help enforce Islamic law. In his speech, Abdullah said the government would try to export the concept of Islam Hadhari to other countries to help spread the message of moderate Islam. He did not name the countries, but officials said hot spots such as southern Thailand could be a target.

ITN Source | March 25, 2007

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