Yusuf Islam to set up Peace Train station here

PUTRAJAYA: Yusuf Islam (pic), the British musician previously known as Cat Stevens, is planning to set up a charity organisation in Malaysia soon.

The 76-year-old singer and songwriter told Bernama that he chose Malaysia as his first Peace Train overseas branch due to the country’s image.

“Peace Train is an active organisation which delivers food to townships, refugee camps and sometimes schools. In the UK, we’ve been supporting many very poor children.

It’s that kind of project which we believe in, based on prophet Nabi Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon Him) to feed people and spread peace,” he said.

Asked if the organisation, Peace Train in Malaysia, would be set up this year, he replied, “Yes, if we can get through the bureaucracy.”

Yusuf said he had conveyed the plan to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“He was very welcoming. He is waiting for the station to open,” he said.

Since April 2020, Peace Train has provided almost four million meals in the UK and overseas.

Peace Train is a 1971 song by Cat Stevens, taken from his album Teaser and the Firecat. The song climbed to No.7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart during the week of Nov 6, 1971, making it his first US Top 10 hit.

Born Steven Demetre Georgiou, the singer converted to Islam on Dec 23, 1977, taking the name Yusuf Islam in 1978.