Muslims Told To Commit To Fighting Poverty, Illiteracy
Bernama – 16/4/2006
KEPALA BATAS - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Muslims must be committed in fighting backwardness, poverty, illiteracy and negative thinking in order to build a strong economy.He said they should drop outdated thinking and instead seek ways to change their lives for the better.They needed to possess comprehensive knowledge supported by strong faith and morals, he said.

"All Islamic countries need strong human capital to develop their economies.

"If our human capital and economy are weak, and our people lack knowledge, we will be threatened and we do not want this to happen to Muslims," he said when opening the Nadwah Ulama Nusantara III (3rd Regional Assembly of Islamic Scholars) here Saturday night.

The three-day assembly is organised by the Islamic Studies Faculty of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) with the cooperation of the Penang Islamic Council (MAIPP). Also present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, Penang Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Abdul Rashid Abdullah, MAIPP president Shahbudin Yahya and UKM vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Salleh Mohd Yassin.

The Prime Minister later launched a biography on his grandfather entitled "Syeikh Abdullah Fahim: Progressive Malay Ulama". The Prime Minister called on Islamic countries to cooperate in all fields, especially in knowledge enhancement.

"We should share our experiences and build cooperation so that Islamic countries will find the best approach to achieve development and not be marginalised," he said.

He said Islamic countries that were less developed should learn from those more developed instead of quarrelling or making war among themselves.

Abdullah said the Islamic world was filled with many sad events such as fighting among Muslims, conflicts with non-Muslims, oppression, illiteracy and poverty.

He cited the wars in Iraq and Palestine as examples of events that saddened Muslims.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia was an example of an Islamic country that was helping to develop backward countries, such as Petronas developing the petroleum industries in Sudan and Chad and Felda developing oil palm plantations in Sierra Leone.

"As chairman of OIC (Organisation of Islamic Conference), Malaysia will work with other OIC countries to build the economies of Islamic countries and free them from the burden of poverty," he said.
Source: Bernama | www.bernama.com