Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) will not waver on religious matters or sacrifice Islamic principles merely for political mileage.
The Prime Minister said the BN government would continue to uphold Islamic principles including on the use of the word 'Allah' although there were groups disputing the action taken.
"That's why we always maintain our stand on the use of the word 'Allah' (strictly for Muslims)...what is right is always right.
"We always defend (the use of) the word 'Allah' because we believe our action is right which eventually Allah will help because we are right," he said when opening the Pahang State-Level Discourse on the Development of the Ummah, here Thursday.
Also present were his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the Grand Imam of the An-Nabawi Mosque in Madinah, As-Shaikh Solah Mohammed al-Budair and the Director-General of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), Datuk Othman Mustapha.
Najib emphasised that the BN government will continue to defend the principles of Islam including matters pertaining to the word 'Allah' besides the method of tackling the intrusion by foreign militants in Sabah recently, because the actions taken were correct.
With regard to the intrusion in Lahad Datu, the prime minister said: "We adopted the peaceful settlement approach but when they bit our hand (attack), I ordered an all out attack to defend the country's sovereignty, and this is allowed in Islam," he said.
Meanwhile, he questioned the action of certain quarters who tried to exploit such issues for their political interest.
"We actually cannot sacrifice religious principles merely for political gain," he said.
He said it was wrong to sacrifice Islamic principles merely for political gain.
Meanwhile, Najib, who is also BN chairman, said the party would continue to guarantee the future of the religious schools and provide a better scheme for those spreading the Islamic cause.
He pointed out that under the BN government, religious schools received various aid while the imam, bilal and religious teachers enjoyed better income.
The Prime Minister said the government had raised the monthly income of the imam to RM750 and the payment was in line with the increasingly challenging tasks as the main motivating agent for the community at the grassroots level.
"We pledge to look after the welfare of the imam, mosque officials and Kafa teachers by providing salary based on the service scheme and salary increments. We will also raise the number of scholarships for students of religious schools," he said.
Najib said the government would also continue with the Special Haj Programme introduced in 2011 and would send 800 people including 400 imam to the Holy Land this year in appreciation of their contributions.
The Prime Minister said the BN government would continue to uphold Islamic principles including on the use of the word 'Allah' although there were groups disputing the action taken.
"That's why we always maintain our stand on the use of the word 'Allah' (strictly for Muslims)...what is right is always right.
"We always defend (the use of) the word 'Allah' because we believe our action is right which eventually Allah will help because we are right," he said when opening the Pahang State-Level Discourse on the Development of the Ummah, here Thursday.
Also present were his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the Grand Imam of the An-Nabawi Mosque in Madinah, As-Shaikh Solah Mohammed al-Budair and the Director-General of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), Datuk Othman Mustapha.
Najib emphasised that the BN government will continue to defend the principles of Islam including matters pertaining to the word 'Allah' besides the method of tackling the intrusion by foreign militants in Sabah recently, because the actions taken were correct.
With regard to the intrusion in Lahad Datu, the prime minister said: "We adopted the peaceful settlement approach but when they bit our hand (attack), I ordered an all out attack to defend the country's sovereignty, and this is allowed in Islam," he said.
Meanwhile, he questioned the action of certain quarters who tried to exploit such issues for their political interest.
"We actually cannot sacrifice religious principles merely for political gain," he said.
He said it was wrong to sacrifice Islamic principles merely for political gain.
Meanwhile, Najib, who is also BN chairman, said the party would continue to guarantee the future of the religious schools and provide a better scheme for those spreading the Islamic cause.
He pointed out that under the BN government, religious schools received various aid while the imam, bilal and religious teachers enjoyed better income.
The Prime Minister said the government had raised the monthly income of the imam to RM750 and the payment was in line with the increasingly challenging tasks as the main motivating agent for the community at the grassroots level.
"We pledge to look after the welfare of the imam, mosque officials and Kafa teachers by providing salary based on the service scheme and salary increments. We will also raise the number of scholarships for students of religious schools," he said.
Najib said the government would also continue with the Special Haj Programme introduced in 2011 and would send 800 people including 400 imam to the Holy Land this year in appreciation of their contributions.
