Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia

08/01/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/31/2023 20:46

THE 18th EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE OIC MEMBER STATES ON THE REPEATED CRIMES OF DESECRATION AND BURNING OF COPIES OF THE HOLY AL-MUSHAF[...]

THE 18th EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS

OF THE OIC MEMBER STATES ON THE REPEATED CRIMES OF DESECRATION

AND BURNING OF COPIES OF THE HOLY AL-MUSHAF AL-SHARIF IN THE

KINGDOM OF SWEDEN AND THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK

31 JULY 2023

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, YB Datuk Mohamad bin Alamin led Malaysia's delegation to the 18thExtraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States on Repeated Crime of Desecration and Burning of Copies of Al-Mushaf Al- Sharif in the Kingdom of Sweden and the Kingdom of Denmark on 31 July 2023.

The Extraordinary Session, held virtually, was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mauritania, H.E. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, as the current chair of OIC CFM and was attended by 57 Member States of the OIC. The main agenda was to discuss the recent recurrence of incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark.

A total of 32 countries delivered their country's statement and unanimously condemned the recurrence incidents of desecration and burning of the Holy Quran in several countries and called for the respective governments to avoid such incidents in the future.

YB Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered Malaysia's statement, which stressed the importance of adhering to the universal principle of respect towards all religions and their holyscripturesandforallpartiestoworkhandin hand in addressing the Islamophobia issue to project the true image of Islam and its message of peace, moderation and tolerance.

The 18thExtraordinary Session of the CFM also adopted the Resolution on the Repeated Crimes of Desecration and Burning of Copies of Al-Mushaf Al-Sharif in the Kingdom of SwedenandtheKingdomofDenmark.Amongthemaingists of the Resolution is to strongly condemn the recurrence of the incidents of desecration and burning of the Holy Quran, reaffirm all OIC Member States prioritise the agenda of combatting Islamophobia and to ensure this agenda is always highlighted at the international platforms (namely the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Council).

As a founding member of the OIC, Malaysia remains committed to promote full respect and protection of religious scriptures; and combating the increasingly Islamophobic sentiments around the world.

PUTRAJAYA

1 August 2023