Riyadh summit must stand ready to confront terror swiftly

The forthcoming Riyadh Summit must stand ready to confront terror swiftly and decisively wherever and whenever it manifests itself, Prime Minister Najib Razak said.
"We must ensure that the barbarism we see in Syria and Iraq is rooted out. We must show that we stand ready to confront terror swiftly and decisively wherever and whenever it manifests itself. We must never surrender," he said, quoted by local news agency Bernama.
In the English version of his op-ed for Saudi Gazette and Arabic version for Al Riyadh newspapers to be published tomorrow, Najib said he believed that the Arab, Islamic and United States Summit represents an important attempt to bring ties between the Muslim world and the United States to new levels.
"With even greater mutual understanding, we can work together all the better to fight the ignorance, exclusion and sense of grievance that could fuel violent extremism. We know that President Donald Trump is committed to eradicating Daesh. Under my leadership, so will Malaysia be -- as should all Muslim countries at this summit and beyond," Najib wrote.
Najib will join more than 50 Arab and Muslim nation leaders for the summit with Trump on Sunday.
He said it was up to all of them at this summit to forge this partnership and prove, once and for all, that there was no clash of civilisations, with Muslim world on one side and the West on the other.
"There is only a clash with civilization, and on that we all - members of all religions - must stand united as one; firm, determined and ready to act," he said.
The prime minister also said that it was crucial for all Muslim countries and leaders to make it absolutely clear that there was nothing Islamic about terrorism.
"Authentic Islam is a religion of enlightenment, civilization and scholarship, not of destruction and death," he stated.
The prime minister said Kuala Lumpur was willing to share the country's experience and expertise in combating terrorism with all countries at the summit, including the success stories of its wasatiyyah (moderation) approach, deradicalisation programme, the Regional Counter-Messaging Centre.
Najib was confident that the Riyadh summit would also renew and re-energise the friendship between all present and produce new roadmaps for cooperation, security and understanding

Source: BNA