Wisma Putra summons French envoy over growing hostility towards Islam

 

An envoy from the French Embassy was summoned to the foreign ministry office at the Wisma Putra Complex in Putrajaya today.

PETALING JAYA: The foreign ministry today summoned an envoy from the French Embassy to address Malaysia’s concerns on the growing hostility, hate speech and defamation of Islam in the European nation.

The ministry said such elevated tension does not bode well for the peaceful co-existence of all religions.

During the meeting, the ministry reiterated Malaysia’s position to strongly condemn any inflammatory rhetoric and provocative acts that seek to defame Islam as the world had recently witnessed in the forms of populist speeches and publication of profane caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

“Malaysia is committed to upholding the freedom of speech and expression as fundamental human rights for as long as these rights are exercised with respect and responsibility in order not to infringe on or violate the rights of others,” Wisma Putra said in a statement.

It said Malaysia also underscored the importance of initiatives to curtail and eliminate Islamophobia at all levels.

“Towards this end, Malaysia will continue to work with the international community to promote mutual respect among religions and prevent religious extremism.”

This comes amid a backlash across the Islamic world over French President Emmanuel Macron’s public remarks which were seen as defending the right to publish caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, which are considered blasphemous in Islam.

Macron made the remarks at a memorial event for high school teacher Samuel Paty, who was murdered after he allegedly showed his students some caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, published by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015, during a class on freedom of expression. - FMT