PETALING JAYA: Malaysia strongly condemns the provocative action of Rasmus Paludan, leader of Denmark's far-right Stram Kurs, for burning a copy of the Holy Quran in Stockholm, Sweden.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Islamophobic act of the extremist Swedish-Danish far-right politician was a grave provocation to Muslims all over the world.
He urged the Swedish government to take urgent measures against the perpetrators of the act as well as ensuring drastic steps in the future to address the alarming rise of Islamophobia in Sweden.
"Such a blatant defilement of Islam’s Holy Book by the politician and the government's inaction are tantamount to fomenting Islamophobia and constitutes a grave provocation to the sensitivities of not just Turkiye, but more than two billion Muslims in the world.
"Malaysia denounces the repeated hate crimes targeting Muslims in the world as well as all forms of incitement to hatred and the fanning of racism in word or deed.
"Malaysia also views with grave concern the rising tide of hate speech on account of faith or ethnicity," he said in a statement Sunday (Jan 22).
Anwar reiterated the paramount importance of upholding the principles of dialogue, engagement and mutual respect in the settlement of disputes.
He also called on the international community to reject race or religious baiting under the guise of freedom of expression and to remain united against all forms of incitement to hate and violence.
Anwar's statement came following the burning of the Quran by Paludan in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday (Jan 21).
Paludan has held a number of demonstrations in the past where he has burned the Quran, including in April last year.
