Malaysia a successful modern Islamic country, says Najib

DAVOS (Switzerland): Malaysia stands out as a model country that has successfully combined Islam and modernisation for greater prosperity, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. 

The Deputy Prime Minister said this showed that Islam was not a hindrance towards development but a “source of force” for modernisation.  

As such, many countries regarded Malaysia as a model nation that adhered to Islamic fundamental principles and at the same time brought prosperity to the people.  

“We even have a capitalistic and Islamic banking system co-existing where people can choose which one to follow.  

“In fact, I think we’re ahead of the others and they are looking towards us,” he said in reply to a question on whether Malaysia felt “pressured” in its modernisation programme by neighbouring economies such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea which had achieved success in their economic and democratic reforms.  

The Deputy Prime Minister was speaking at a panel discussion on Modernisation without Westernisation chaired by CNN International Correspondent and anchor Jim Clancy at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2005 on Thursday. 

The other panellists were Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Iranian Vice-President Masoumeh Ebtekar and Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmad Mahmoud Nazif.  

Najib said, however, that a small group of people had “hijacked” Islam for their narrow goals, thus giving the religion a negative image.  

“We should not view Islam from a narrow perspective as portrayed by the Western media, especially after the Sept 11 incident.  

“Rather, Islam is a positive religion if interpreted the right way and is compatible with modernisation,” he said to applause from the hall.  

Najib also said Malaysia practised Islamic fundamentalism but this should not be equalled with extremism or violence.  

“We’ve a plural society yet Islam protects other religions and allows them to co-exist peacefully,” he said.  

He also touched on good governance and progressive leaders as among the basic conditions necessary for a modern and democratic governance to flourish in a Muslim country.  

“However, we cannot depend on just one model as being practical as we must also have strong values among others,” he added.