KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak has again touted his country's moderate Islam and said it can be a template to help end global war and conflict, including the ongoing conflict in Gaza with Israel. He said that moderate voices, if given power and a place in media, “could drown out those of bigots and extremists.” The prime minister told an international forum on war and conflict on Monday that “moderation" was the underpinning value used as guidance to end the 40-year conflict in southern Philippines, in which Malaysia had acted as facilitator. “If all of us, irrespective of our faiths, believe in moderation, then the voice of moderation will replace those of extremist intolerance, hatred and bigotry," Najib (picture) said in his opening address at the International Forum 2012, held in conjunction with Umno's general assembly at the Putra World Trade Center (PWTC). The signing of the Framework Agreement between the Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on October 15 saw the establishment of a new autonomous Muslim homeland in Mindanao or the “Bangsamoro." The PM said the Bangsamoro process had been helped along by a readiness to establish peace by both sides in the agreement, and most importantly, the existence of Malaysia as a third party and “honest broker" to bolster peacekeeping efforts. He said a third party in any peace process must be a truly “honest broker" or achieving reconciliation between two warring factions would not be possible. “This could be a template to be used in other situations which may be more complex. “Certainly, the Gaza and Palestinian issue is hugely more challenging and complex but I have urged, and others have urged, for [US President] Barack Obama to intervene and do something," he said. Malaysia's Parliament recently agreed to condemn of Israel's latest armed aggression operation against the Palestinians called the “Pillar of Defense", which was launched in Gaza earlier this month, resulting in deaths of hundreds. Malaysians have repeatedly told Bikyamasr.com that they believe their country's push to be a global leader and developed country while maintaining their moderate Islamic nature can be a “key model to follow for other Islamic countries.”
