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Published: Thursday November 29, 2012 MYT 1:52:00 PM
Updated: Thursday November 29, 2012 MYT 2:04:49 PM

Najib: Umno struggles for Islam, opposes pluralism, liberalism


KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak emphasised that Umno will always struggle for and defend Islam and will strongly oppose those propagating pluralism or liberalism.

The Umno president said the position of Islam would always be defended as enshrined in the party constitution and in line with its position as the religion of the federation.

"I wish to emphasise here, that undoubtedly Umno is committed to continue to elevate Islam based on the objectives of the syariah, to protect the religion, life, property, mind, dignity and race.

"At this assembly, we wish to state clearly that we strongly oppose those propagating pluralism or liberalism," he said when delivering the presidential speech carrying the theme, "Transformative Leadership Towards Achieving National Vision" in conjunction with the opening of the Umno General Assembly 2012, here, on Thursday.

Addressing the 2,759 delegates at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Najib strongly rejected the allegations by certain quarters that Umno was a secular nationalist party.

Describing the allegation as "grossly incorrect", Najib said all this while it was Umno that enabled Islam to be practised as a righteous way of life in the multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation.

Najib said Umno had done a lot to ensure the survival of Islam in the country.

The setting up of the Haj Fund Management Board had enabled Muslims to save and perform the haj pilgrimage in a systematic manner, Islamic banking and financial services had been widened, in fact, Malaysia which had been recognised as a model Muslim nation had contributed to prosperity worldwide through the peacekeeping force, observers and medical teams sent to Islamic countries that were facing conflicts such as Bosnia, Somalia, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

Malaysia was also committed in obtaining justice for the people of Palestine, in fact, it may become the first country to open an embassy in the Palestinian capital.

Cynically criticising the attitude of the opposition that prayed for doom to befall Umno, Najib said Umno was not prepared to divide the solidarity of the Muslims and would never curse its Muslim brothers like what had been done by the opposition.

"So, we wish to remind that we should no longer deceive the rakyat. Umno was once accused as infidels through the message of Tuan Guru (Datuk Seri Hadi Awang)...Umno was labelled as infidels for working with Malaysians who were not Muslims, as though (we) did not support the formation of a Muslim nation and implementation of hudud," he said.

As a result of the message in 1981, Muslim solidarity had been divided and there was a feeling of hatred between the Muslims themselves, said Najib.

"As a result, there was the Memali tragedy, Lubok Merbau incident, prayers leb by two imams, husband and wife divorcing, and enmity within the family," he said.

However, despite the malicious allegations and propaganda by the opposition against Umno, the party's struggles to empower Islam in Malaysia and the world continued to be appreciated.

The latest, in fact, Malaysia had been placed in the fifth spot in complying the Malaysian Syariah Index managed by a group of international ulamas, Najib said. Several young Umno leaders echoed his stance, saying that the emergence of various ideologies based on secular liberal thinking and that which contravened Islamic teachings could be thwarted by rejecting the Opposition.

Puteri Umno vice-chief Shahanim Mohd Yusoff said the opposition promised to grant and allow everything because they underestimated the intellectual level of the people and did not take into account the adverse consequences to the country.

She said it was feared that the opposition might allow the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) community to grow and accord religious freedom to Muslims.

"But we cannot leave the matter to the government alone. What is our action as Muslims? Our objection can be translated by rejecting the opposition in the next general election and silent the willful voices," she told Bernama here.

Umno Youth executive committee member Shafiqurrahman Shamsudin said Malaysians had been living in peace and harmony based on the Islamic values.

He said the opposition's action in giving credence to various ideologies which were abhorred by Islam was intended to attract a handful of supporters to their cause.

"Although the number of those who subscribe to the ideologies is small but by endorsing such practice, they may be able to spread the deviant ways," he said, adding that liberalism should not be allowed to flourish for it promoted religious co-existence.

Another Umno Youth executive committee member, Datuk Muhammad Khairun Aseh said he was confident the people, including the younger generation, were wise and would reject deviant ideologies.

"The Malays can now see the true colour of the opposition whose weaknesses are so obvious," he said. - Bernama

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