PM's 2014 Aidilfitri message

"Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, Salam Aidilfitri and Salam 1Malaysia, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Walillah hil Hamd."

1. Alhamdulillah, praise be to God, because, once again, Muslims throughout the world, with full gratitude and joy, are celebrating a significant victory today after one month of striving against proclivity.

2. Indeed, the institution of Ramadan subjects one to spiritual education, purification of the mind and physical tests. Fasting is not just about curbing one's desires, but educating oneself to be always aware of the plight of the disadvantaged and those who lead a hard life.

3. Every year, Muslims in this country celebrate Aidilfitri with excitement and joy, without any interference from anyone. Such is the beauty and benefit of living in a prosperous and successful country called Malaysia.

4. It is important for all the people to know that this joy is not necessarily something that is guaranteed nor the norm in many other countries. Some countries, for example those in Africa and the Middle East and even some of the developed ones in Europe and America, are having to put up with disasters, unending hostilities, severe economic crises and prolonged political turmoil. Actually, all these calamities demand efficient and effective management and administration as well as leadership.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

5. On 19 Ramadan 1435 Hijrah, a date that I will never forget, there came the shocking news of an unexpected tragedy, that a Boeing 777-200 commercial aircraft of Malaysia Airlines, Flight MH17, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur had crashed in eastern Ukraine.

6. The flight had reportedly departed at 12.15 pm local time and was scheduled to arrive at KLIA at 6.10 am Malaysian time (the next day). The flight was carrying 298 people, comprising 283 passengers and 15 crew, among them 43 Malaysian adults and two infants.

7. I still remember vividly how we dealt with the challenging and difficult situation, to the extent that I was able to reach agreement with the separatists controlling the crash site on three matters:

Firstly: Remove the bodies of all the MH17 crash victims, estimated to be 282, from the crash site. Secondly: Take possession of the two black boxes which belong to Malaysia. Thirdly: Secure a guarantee of safety for an independent team of international investigators to conduct a thorough investigation at the crash site.

8. Furthermore, in the face of these critical and anxious moments, all negotiations were conducted with extreme caution so as to achieve the desired result, and there were times that I had to work quietly in order to derive a better outcome.

9. Earlier, on 10 Ramadan, Muslims were shocked by Israel's brutal attacks on the Palestinian people in Gaza, the aggression claiming many innocent lives. We strongly condemn this inhumane action and hope that peace can be restored through a settlement between the two sides. Of course, we support the struggle of the Palestinian people, and our sympathy and prayers are always with them.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

10. All these tests and obstacles which, incidentally, occurred in the holy month of Ramadan, have taught us useful lessons on the need to build on the strengths and resilience of the Muslims in this country to enable us to meet the challenges in all fields so as to emerge as a progressive and viable model Islamic nation.

11. Several lessons can be leant from the recent tragedies that have struck Malaysia and our brothers in Palestine:

12. Lesson No. 1: The importance of unity and the need to always remain together to strengthen genuine Islamic brotherhood among fellow Muslims. Only then will Muslims be respected, and not be seen as weak or be easily manipulated by others.

13. In this context, I am thankful to God because the motion on the Flight MH17 tragedy was approved unanimously by all elected representatives, including those representing the opposition, at a special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat on 23 July 2014. That is a good start for us as Muslims and Malaysians, as we demonstrated cohesiveness and strengthened solidarity as a nation, 1Malaysia.

14. Lesson No. 2: Our efforts in upholding and enhancing the eminence of Islam in accordance with the position of Islam as the religion of the federation. We have also been practising Islam within the framework of the Maqasid Syariah by way of the 'wasatiyyah' approach of moderation, in keeping with the instruction of God that Islam is the holistic way of life. Thus, we reject extremism and liberalism, which are contrary to Islamic teachings.

15. In fact, in Malaysia, we have adhered to God's will in keeping to the Syariah, step by step in various fields, including the physical, economic, cultural, social and spiritual. The setting up of the Pilgrims Management and Fund Board (Tabung Haji), Islamic financial and banking institutions, and the tithe boards in every state are among the many measures we have taken towards that direction.

16. Lesson No. 3: Developing knowledge, technological skills and innovation as well as soft skills for the benefit of the people. We see the commitment of the government to undertake reform after reform in upgrading education and human capital so that we can compete with the developed countries. Among the qualities of success are diligence, culture of mutual help, wisdom, steadfast practice and devotion. All these values ​​are very important in our efforts to achieve developed nation status by 2020.

17. I suggest that all Muslims in the country always strive to transform, ready themselves, look forward and build hope for mutual prosperity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

18. As we celebrate this festival, I must express my extreme sadness, most profound sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the MH17 tragedy. The sympathy is also extended to the families of the passengers and crew of Flight MH370. Of course, I am able to feel and imagine what they would be going through when, upon waking up on the morning of Aidilfitri, their loved ones are not with them.

19. As such, exercise great patience and accept the will of God. Surely, many lessons can be learned from this tragic event. As we are all aware, I promised the victims' families when I met them that I would do whatever possible to bring back to Malaysia the bodies of all the Malaysians as soon as possible for burial.

20. Also, I will never ever forget all the deeds and sacrifices of the security forces, both on duty at the borders and in every nook and corner of this blessed land, as well as those who have gone forever. May God bless them and their families and keep this country peaceful and harmonious forever.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

21. On this auspicious day of Aidilfitri, let's cease all conflicts. Discard the dubious, rectify mistakes, clarify confusions. Although we are not organising any official open house this year as a mark of respect for the feelings of the families of the victims of the MH370 and MH17 tragedies, I would encourage our practice of visiting one another. Open wide the doors of our houses, our hearts and the 1Malaysia gateway of friendship by inviting friends of various races and religions to our homes. For those of you who have to drive to visit relatives and friends, drive carefully and arrive at your destinations safely.

22. On behalf of the government and people of Malaysia, I would like to express thanks for the support of the world leaders and community who sympathised with Malaysia and extended assistance during the MH370 and MH17 unfortunate incidents.

23. On this occasion, with a sense of humility, I seek forgiveness for myself and my beloved wife and family for any oversight. I pray and hope that God will bestow prosperity on all Muslims so that they can celebrate this festival with great joy and happiness, together with their loved ones.

24. Let us Muslims and Malaysians go through this difficult time together, by strengthening our resolve, bolstering family ties and remaining united in our moment of grief.