Maintain a good image of Malaysia, says Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has urged on Malaysians living abroad to help maintain a good image of the country in the eyes of the world.  "You are representatives of Malaysia in your own respective roles. You should share your knowledge about Malaysia and help counter misperceptions about our country," he said. Najib was addressing a gathering of Malaysian professionals and students on Wednesday night in conjunction with his working visit to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister said Malaysians who joined the Isis militant group, albeit small in numbers, were doing the country no favour and their actions had tarnished the image of Islam as well. "There's a need to show that Islam is a religion that values peace and teaches its followers to be moderate and balanced in all aspects of life," he said. Najib also touched on the challenges faced by Malaysia as a result of slumping oil prices and China's economic slowdown. "That's why we need to seek new or additional opportunities and, to this end, it's necessary for us to develop strong relations with other countries including Saudi Arabia.  "It's the main reason why I've undertaken this working visit to the kingdom which has continued to grow in terms of its importance in various aspects," he said. Najib added that the presence of many Malaysian professionals in the kingdom was a testimony to Malaysia's success in developing human capital. "And our professionals are well regarded internationally," he said. – Bernama, March 3, 2016.]]>