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Sunday, February 15, 2015

Leaders must take firm stand against extremists, says Pak Lah

Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says the country cannot afford to have ‘wishy-washy’ leaders who fail to speak out against extremism. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, February 15, 2015.Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says the country cannot afford to have ‘wishy-washy’ leaders who fail to speak out against extremism. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, February 15, 2015.
Political leaders must take a firm stand against those espousing extremist views, said former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, stressing that the leaders cannot be "wishy-washy" about the matter.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Star, the country’s fifth PM expressed sadness that extremist voices were growing louder.
"The rabble-rousers, sabre-rattlers and bigots seem to be having a louder voice in politics and in the media. I do not think we are becoming less moderate.
"The political leadership has to take a firm stand against those espousing extreme views. We cannot be wishy-washy about it," he was quoted as saying by the English daily.
Abdullah took over from the longest-serving prime minster Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in October 2003 and stepped down in April 2009 following pressure from within his own Malay party, Umno, after the watershed 2008 general election, which saw the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) lose its customary two-third parliamentary majority.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over from Abdullah.
Race and religious relations have frayed further after the 13th general election in May 2013, with BN only gaining 47% of the popular vote despite winning more seats to form the government.
BN blamed its heavier losses on the Chinese minority, fuelled by Malay-Muslim groups seeking to impose more puritanical Islamic laws across Malaysia. 
Abdullah, 75, said there would not be peace if bigots and extremists were allowed to drown out the moderates' voices.
Urging Malaysians to vote out politicians with extremist views in the next general election, Abdullah said everyone should play a part to ensure the continuity of the vision of the country's founding fathers, who had emphasised tolerance, moderation and acceptance.
"We may have hiccups now but I believe we are still a model of how a multiracial, multi-religious and multicultural country should be. We should not and cannot allow the more extreme elements to hijack this country from us," he told the paper.
He also commended the group of 25 eminent Malays who had asked Putrajaya for a rational dialogue on Islam, saying that in any debate, moderation had to prevail in order to examine issues and make informed judgment.
"Mahatma Gandhi once said: 'Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress'," he said in quoting India's independence leader and peace icon.
"I believe that debate is good. But like Gandhi said, there has to be honest disagreement, we cannot have people trying to shut out others or lord their views over others and by this, I mean those who have extreme views. 
"History has proven that extremes – as Eisenhower once said – to the right or to the left are always wrong. In any debate, moderation must prevail. That is the only way to critically examine issues and make informed judgments."
Abdullah witnessed the racial riots in May 1969 and was part of the National Operations Council (NOC), an emergency administrative body which attempted to restore law and order in Malaysia after the incident.
He said there was commitment to the founding fathers’ concept of moderation, acceptance and tolerance.
"We must always think about how to get the people together, because we are all in this ship, and we must make sure our ship does not sink. 
"We cannot think, for example, that only the Malays have a place here and others do not, so goodbye to them. 
"No such thing. We are all in this together," he was quoted as saying.
- TMI

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