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THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO THE VATICAN

muza@po.jaring.my

The International Movement for a Just World (JUST) welcomes Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's proposed meeting with Pope John Paul at the Vatican early next month. The visit makes sense for a variety of reasons. A small but significant Catholic minority has been part of multi-religious Malaysia for
centuries. The Pope will no doubt want to know from the leader of that government how Muslims and Catholics have lived together in relative harmony for such a long time in one of the most complex multi-religious societies in the world.
Protecting the rights of the non-Muslims, as the Pope is aware, is a fundamental principle of the Islamic faith. The Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) himself formulated a treaty - the Treaty of Najran - which guaranteed the rights of the Christians living in that part of Arabia in the seventh century. Indeed, for most of Muslim history, Muslim Rulers regarded it as their duty to look after their Christian subjects as illustrated in the Umayyad, Andalusian and Uthmaniyyah empires of the past.
Dr. Mahathir's visit to the Vatican will also be an opportunity to enter into a dialogue with the Pope on not only religious issues but also on common political, economic and social concerns. Both the Prime Minister
and the Pope have expressed their views with candour and conviction on a whole range of international issues. It is so important for leaders from different religious backgrounds to talk to one another about
critical global challenges that are impacting upon the lives of everyone.