wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Malaysian PM calls for inter-faith dialogue

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World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153   +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org 

For immediate release - 03/08/2004

 MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER CALLS FOR CONCERTED EFFORT TO INITIATE
 INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE

					    Free photo available, see below

"Your mere presence in Malaysia is a powerful statement against () the
rhetoric of hate and distrust that is so prevalent in the world today,"
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Bin Haji Ahmad Badawi today told over a
hundred church representatives from all over the world gathered in Kuala
Lumpur.

In the first -ever address by a Malaysian prime minister to a Christian
gathering, Abdullah introduced himself to the World Council of Churches
(WCC) Faith and Order plenary commission meeting as "a Muslim who wants to
initiate a dialogue with his Christians friends".  Abdullah stressed that
such a Christian gathering "in a Muslim country" gave him "great hope that,
together, we can fight the perception that religions are at war, and that
civilizations are colliding".

Abdullah spoke openly about his view of religions in the world: "The lines
of conflict today between religions and civilizations are evident," he
said.  The "dangerous but dominant view" that "this is a battle between
good and evil" exists "on both sides of the divide," producing a situation
where "there is less trust and goodwill between Islam and Christianity than
there was a few years ago".

Regarding the Islamic world, Abdullah pointed out that many Muslims "feel
that the war against terror is a war against Islam," and resent the
"reluctance of the West to recognize and address root causes of terrorism"
..  But he also recognized that "Muslims are responsible for a number of the
terrorist acts committed today," although he stressed that "they are in
minority" and are "misguided".

Given that global scenario, Abdullah told the commissioners that "what we
need more than ever today is a concerted effort to initiate inter-faith
dialogue".  A "meaningful dialogue", based on "respect for each other's
freedom of worship", should "set aside our religious differences" and
address "the issues that affect all of us, whatever our faith: injustices
in the global financial and trading system, the threat to the environment,
poverty and disease," he stated.

Quoting both the Quran and the Bible, Abdullah stressed that "there are
common values to our faiths: peace, friendship, cooperation" .	Through
these "shared values", Christians and Muslims should address world's
problems, like "the Palestinian issue or the conflict in Iraq," as well as
the "global concern" of a "globalization that benefits the rich and not the
poor".	"There are solutions," he said, but pointed out that sometimes they
are not forthcoming "because we refuse to build an international consensus
that can generate the political will for change".

Addressing the prime minister, Council of Churches of Malaysia, president
Bishop Tan Sri Datuk Dr Lim Cheng Ean, emphazised the need "to educate our
people so that, through sincere and committed inter-religious dialogue, we
are able to appreciate each other and learn to live in peace together" .

In his turn, the moderator of the plenary commission on Faith and Order,
Rev. Dr David Yemba, said that he had been struck by the "natural beauty"
of Malaysia, the "rich cultural diversity" and "harmonious life of its
people".  He expressed his gratitude for the "hospitality of the churches
and people of Kuala Lumpur," and presented the prime minister with an
Arabic translation of the Bible.

The Faith and Order plenary commission is meeting in Kuala Lumpur from 28
July to 6 August, 2004.

Free photos, news items and feature stories are available at the meeting
website at:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/kualalumpur2004.html 

The complete text of the Prime Minister speech is available by fax upon
request: + 603 2148 9166 Melaka room, or +4179 507 6363

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153  +41 79 507 6363
	 media@wcc-coe.org 

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in more
than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.

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