KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak reiterated the government's stand to continue preserving religious harmony in Malaysia, in line with principles outlined by Islam.
He said Malaysia being a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, one of the principles that must be maintained and protected was respect for each other's religion.
"I want to stress here that respecting each other's religion is not only a key virtue that we must defend in this country, it is also one of the principles in Islam.
"Islam in its true form does not look down on other religions and neither does it allow Muslims desecrate houses of worship of non-Muslims. Islam in its true form calls for respect for other religions...that is the real Islam," he said in his speech in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration at the Sri Subramaniyar temple in Batu Caves here, Friday night.
Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil, Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam and MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
Citing Prophet Muhammad as an example, Najib said, the prophet's example of always respecting people of other faiths served as a guiding principle of his administration in overcoming any problem involving racial and religious matters in the country.
Over a million Hindu devotees were present at the compound of Batu Caves to hear the prime minister extend his Thaipusam greetings.
In making the visit to Batu Caves for the celebration, Najib also made history by becoming only the second prime minister to do so. His father, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who was Malaysia's second prime minister, was the first when he made a visit to Batu Caves for the festival more than 30 years ago.
Najib, who was also honoured as "Bapa 1Malaysia" (Father of 1Malaysia) by Sri Maha Mariamman temple president Datuk R. Nadarajah tonight, said besides following in his father's footsteps, he was also fulfilling a pledge he made when attending a carnival there (Batu Caves) last August.
"When the invitation was extended to me to visit Batu Caves again at the function last August, I had given my pledge that I would come back here to join in the Thaipusam celebration as mark of respect to the Hindu community."
His said his presence with his wife, Cabinet members and other leaders of Barisan Nasional component parties, showed that the government always fulfilled its promises and celebrated the diversity of the people of Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Samy Vellu, when speaking at the same function, said Najib's presence at the celebration completed the meaning of the 1Malaysia slogan the prime minister had introduced, and in the process made him an icon of leadership for the various races in the country.
"The Indian community today dearly loves the Prime Minister who has been described by its members as a "Bapa 1Malaysia" icon," he said.
At the function, Najib and Rosmah were also presented silk cloth embroidered in gold thread that had been specially weaved in India and garlanded with flowers, the highest respect given by members of the Indian community to a leader.
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