Islamophobia needs to be addressed holistically - PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Islamophobia needs to be dealt with holistically and effectively by involving the efforts of various parties to correct perceptions caused by xenophobia and ignorance, in addition to improving the method of teaching Islam.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this was agreed by local and foreign scholars and thinkers including from Azerbaijan, Bosnia, England and Turkiye when he met them for a discourse at Seri Perdana, Putrajaya, yesterday afternoon.

"Our discussion covered various matters related to the problems of the ummah that are getting worse. "Efforts to foster empathy and understanding between different religions and cultures should continue to be strengthened and will be supported by the government," he said in a post on Facebook today.

The meeting was also attended by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

The Prime Minister also expressed his appreciation to the thinkers of the Centre for Postnormal Policy and Futures Studies (CPPFS), the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) and ISTAC-IIUM for the hard work in ensuring that the efforts do not just end at forums or conferences, but to take concrete steps in facing the system through education.

-- BERNAMA