WIEF13: Muslim countries must relentlessly fight terrorism - PM

Malaysia has called for relentless commitment from Muslim countries in dealing with terrorism and violent extremism as well as fighting Daish.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak quoted the continued death and destruction in Iraq and Syria, Daish attack on Marawi, the Philippines, and humanitarian tragedy in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

"The scale of suffering and strife that has taken place cannot be allowed to go unchecked.

"As Muslim, we are enjoined to fight injustice and evil, and this is a sacred duty that we are tasked with," he said at the 13th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) here today.

Najib, who is also the patron of WIEF Foundation, said Muslim countries across the international community and the Islamic World, have a role to play in dealing with the challenges.

He said Malaysia's efforts to help resolve the plight of the Rohingya had begun to yield positive results.

The prime minister also shared that Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi at the recently concluded ASEAN Summit in Manila, had expressed her commitment to find a solution to the crisis in Rakhine.

Najib further revealed that nations at the summit made a commitment to curtail the threat of terrorism and violent extremism through information sharing and law enforcement cooperation.

"These are measures Malaysia has long called for, and I am pleased that our efforts at fighting Daish have been recognised around the world," he added.

Meanwhile, the prime minister noted that much of the Muslim world lacked investment in the right kind of quality education, which poised a huge challenge for the Umma.

He said a country must equip its young people with higher order thinking skills so that they are open-minded, creative and innovative and ready to adapt to the jobs that aren't yet even in existence .

"Indeed, there is a vast amount of people who don't even have access to basic necessities like water, healthcare, even basic education.

"(This) reminds us that we (the governments) must always put our peoples at the heart of our policies," he stressed.

As for Malaysia, Najib said the country was ready for disruptive change given the peace and stability it enjoyed, and backed by the government's long-term planning, specifically efforts to be taken under the National Transformation 2050 where the government placed a special focus on innovation and creativity.