KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Malaysia has urged the international community to work together to combat Islamophobia and promote harmonious relations and peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths in a diverse global community.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir said Malaysia will 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.

He said this in response to the Islamophobic act by an extremist SwedishDanish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan in burning a copy of the Quran in Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday (Jan 21), which Malaysia condemns in the strongest terms.

"This vile act is clearly an outright attack against Islam and Muslims worldwide, which has gone beyond moral limits and norms of the right to freedom of speech and expression.

"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 Malaysia’s foreign ministry (Wisma Putra).

Zambry urged the Swedish government to take immediate action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime and to undertake serious measures to combat the worrisome rise of Islamophobia in the country.

"The Swedish government’s ignorance to stop this dreadful and wicked act despite several protests from various parties is utterly unacceptable and could have serious repercussions on relations between Sweden and Muslims around the world.

"We urge the Swedish government to take immediate action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime and to undertake serious measures to combat the worrisome rise of Islamophobia in Sweden,” he added.

Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right party Stram Kurs (Hard Line), was permitted to burn the Quran on Saturday outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, causing the Muslim world to erupt in anger due to the incident. — Bernama