1/24/23, 6:31 PM Summon Swedish ambassador over Quran burning, govt told | Free Malaysia Today (FMT)

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Summon Swedish ambassador over Quran burning,

govt told
By FMT Reporters - January 23, 2023 3:08 PM

Hamzah Zainudin said the opposition MPs want the government to be more proactive on the international stage in opposing
Islamophobia and xenophobic acts.

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has urged the government to summon the
Swedish ambassador over the burning of the Quran at a demonstration led by a far-right politician
in Stockholm.

Hamzah said the opposition MPs were in solidarity with the government to defend the sanctity of
Islam and stand against any form of Islamophobia, extremism, radicalism, hate and violence.

“Thus, it is important for Putrajaya to summon the Swedish ambassador to officially express
Malaysia’s objection and disappointment over the incident and demand immediate action against
the perpetrators,” he said in a statement.

Hamzah said the opposition MPs wanted the government to be more proactive on the international
stage in opposing Islamophobia and xenophobic acts, as well as speaking up against policies that
incite violence.

“This blatant hate crime should not be allowed or tolerated under the guise of freedom of speech.
Sweden must take action to punish all those involved as this is not the first incident orchestrated
by Rasmus Paludan and Stram Kurs,” he said, referring to the Swedish-Danish politician and the
far-right party he leads in the Scandinavian nation.

Last night, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia strongly condemned the burning of the
Quran at a demonstration led by Paludan in Stockholm.

He called for immediate action by Swedish authorities against Paludan to check what he called an
alarming rise of Islamophobia in the country.

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1/24/23, 6:31 PM Summon Swedish ambassador over Quran burning, govt told | Free Malaysia Today (FMT)

Earlier today, foreign minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said Malaysia would continue to work closely
with fellow members of the international community to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence
and hatred against Islam, including Islamophobic sentiments and extremism.

“Bigotry, racism and vile desecration of such holy scripture, regardless of religion, is unacceptable
and should be condemned.

“Malaysia reiterates that freedom of expression cannot be equated with freedom to insult. It goes
against the universal principle of respect for religions,” he said in a statement issued by Wisma
Putra on the incident.

Paludan was reported to have burned the holy book at a demonstration held in front of the Turkish
embassy in the Swedish capital on Saturday.

Following the incident, the Turkish government summoned the Swedish ambassador to express its
disappointment. The action also drew the condemnation of various Muslim-majority countries and
the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Meanwhile, Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) CEO Tuan Kamarul Arief Tuan Soh said the
anger and frustration of Malaysians was totally justified.

“We believe this hate-mongering act doesn’t reflect the majority of Swedish and Danish as proven
in their rejection of the Stram Kurs party led by Paludan.”

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said Paludan’s action was not only a blatant defilement of the holy book
of Islam, but an unacceptable hate speech that cannot be justified as “freedom of speech” in any
civilised society.

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