GMM appreciated internationally - Nasharuddin

Its executive chairman and chief executive officer Datuk Dr Nasharuddin Mat Isa said GMM's role was recognised internationally as it was frequently invited overseas to share its experiences.

"The proof of this is that GMM is often invited overseas such as to France, England, Middle Eastern countries, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines and Indonesia to share our experiences in various issues such as violence, terrorism, Daesh and others," he said.

Nasharuddin was speaking to Bernama after appearing as a guest on the Ruang Bicara programme on Bernama News Channel here last night.

As such, he said, the allegations hurled at the organisation were not only baseless and untrue, but were also mere political gimmicks.

In the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican also defended the GMM, saying it had not failed in tackling the problem of Islamophobia.

The Deputy Foreign Minister said Islamophobia cannot be resolved by Malaysia alone as it had to be jointly handled by Muslim and non-Muslim nations.

Reezal Merican was replying to a supplementary question from Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Gelang Patah) who asked if the GMM was effective in tackling Islamophobia.

Dr Nasharuddin said in line with Malaysia's current approach, the GMM also promoted moderation in tackling global issues including Islamophobia.

He said all parties must accept the fact that the efforts towards resolving an issue needed time in order to produce the best results.