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Dr M calls on Muslims to look within themselves for causes of Islamophobia
March 24, 2019 8:07 AM
• 5 minute read
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Muslims should find out what wrong they have done to make Islam less hated.
PETALING JAYA: With Islamophobia still prevalent, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has called on Muslims to not only look at the attitudes of their critics but to ask themselves if they could be contributing to such perception.
“Have we done anything to deserve that kind of name?
“If we want to make Islam less hated, we need to find out what wrong we have done, although we would like to say we have done no wrong,” he said in an interview with PTV World in Pakistan.
Mahathir, who was on a three-day official visit to Pakistan from Thursday, said Muslims should try to eliminate their wrongdoing and support their good behaviour with publicity.
“We need people who talk sense and who can tell (others) what Islam is all about,” he said when asked by host Omar Khalid Butt on ways to counter Islamophobia, adding that Islam teaches Muslims not to fight nor to kill each other.
“Islam teaches its followers not to indulge in violence but “we are not following those teachings”, he said.
Mahathir also said Muslims should explain the religion to their audience through the internet.
“Muslims should be able to tell their side of their story so that it is not dominated by only foreign countries that do not like us.”
In the interview, which has been uploaded on YouTube, Mahathir was also asked about the importance of defence cooperation between Pakistan and Malaysia.
He said defence is crucial but Muslim countries do not have the capacity to produce their own weapons.
“They are always dependent on importing or buying their weapons from other countries. Because of that, they become dependent on these countries for the defence of their countries.”
He said countries should have their own defence weapons but that requires a huge volume, noting that Malaysia only has a small population of 32 million compared to Pakistan’s 200 million.
“If you add together, the market becomes bigger and therefore the need becomes bigger to go into industries that require huge investments,” he said.
Asked how Pakistan could benefit from his vision, Mahathir said every prime minister would like to leave a legacy “to look back when he finishes his term”.
“When you become a PM, it is a great opportunity to do a lot of good for your country.
“Remember, you were elected by the people and therefore your job is to serve the people, not yourself,” he said.
For that, a leader can think of many ideas either by copying successful countries or finding ways and means to develop the country, he added.
March 24, 2019 8:07 AM
• 5 minute read
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Muslims should find out what wrong they have done to make Islam less hated.
PETALING JAYA: With Islamophobia still prevalent, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has called on Muslims to not only look at the attitudes of their critics but to ask themselves if they could be contributing to such perception.
“Have we done anything to deserve that kind of name?
“If we want to make Islam less hated, we need to find out what wrong we have done, although we would like to say we have done no wrong,” he said in an interview with PTV World in Pakistan.
Mahathir, who was on a three-day official visit to Pakistan from Thursday, said Muslims should try to eliminate their wrongdoing and support their good behaviour with publicity.
“We need people who talk sense and who can tell (others) what Islam is all about,” he said when asked by host Omar Khalid Butt on ways to counter Islamophobia, adding that Islam teaches Muslims not to fight nor to kill each other.
“Islam teaches its followers not to indulge in violence but “we are not following those teachings”, he said.
Mahathir also said Muslims should explain the religion to their audience through the internet.
“Muslims should be able to tell their side of their story so that it is not dominated by only foreign countries that do not like us.”
In the interview, which has been uploaded on YouTube, Mahathir was also asked about the importance of defence cooperation between Pakistan and Malaysia.
He said defence is crucial but Muslim countries do not have the capacity to produce their own weapons.
“They are always dependent on importing or buying their weapons from other countries. Because of that, they become dependent on these countries for the defence of their countries.”
He said countries should have their own defence weapons but that requires a huge volume, noting that Malaysia only has a small population of 32 million compared to Pakistan’s 200 million.
“If you add together, the market becomes bigger and therefore the need becomes bigger to go into industries that require huge investments,” he said.
Asked how Pakistan could benefit from his vision, Mahathir said every prime minister would like to leave a legacy “to look back when he finishes his term”.
“When you become a PM, it is a great opportunity to do a lot of good for your country.
“Remember, you were elected by the people and therefore your job is to serve the people, not yourself,” he said.
For that, a leader can think of many ideas either by copying successful countries or finding ways and means to develop the country, he added.
