Malaysian PM opens ASEAN summit, calls for defeat of terrorism

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Saturday opened a two-day regional summit with a call to defeat Islamic terrorism, saying its barbaric attacks do not represent any race or religion.

 

Najib was speaking at the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional grouping of 10 nations that include the Muslim-majority nations of Malaysia and Indonesia. Indonesia, and the neighboring Philippines, which has a large Muslim minority, have been hit by Islamic extremism.

 

Najib referred to those two countries, as well as the attacks in Paris and Friday's deadly hostage-taking in Bamako, Mali.

 

Najib said Malaysia stands ready to provide any help and support it can.

 

"Be assured that we stand with you against this new evil that blasphemes against the name of Islam," he said.

 

Najib has also described Islamic State group as "evil" and a perverted form of Islam as he and US President Barack Obama pledged to fight Islamic extremism.

 

After a meeting with Obama late Friday, Najib said his government is very clear that it is against the IS, "its ideology, what it stands for."

 

"It is evil. It is against Islam. It is a perverted Islam. And they do not represent us," he said.

 

Najib said Malaysia and the United States will work together and with other like-minded countries to make Southeast Asia safer.

 

Obama is also attending the regional summit in Malaysia, which followed the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation hosted by the Philippines.

 

In his remarks, Obama said Malaysia, like Indonesia, is a majority-Muslim country that represents tolerance and peace. Obama said that as a consequence, "its voice is critical in the debate that is taking place internationally around terrorism."

 

ASEAN Economic Community

 

The summit's main event is the launch of a unified economic community that has been eight years in the making.

 

On Sunday, the leaders of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand and the Philippines, along with ASEAN's four less developed members, Communist Vietnam and Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, will sign a declaration establishing the ASEAN Economic Community, originally envisioned in 2002.

 

Although ASEAN has helped greatly increase the region's economic and political integration, there is a long way to go before the AEC becomes fully functional after becoming a legal entity on Dec. 31.

 

ASEAN countries have torn down tariff barriers and have removed some visa restrictions, but they fall short in more politically sensitive areas such as opening up agriculture, steel, auto production and other protected sectors. —Associated Press