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1st Ld: Malaysian PM condemns "sickening" terrorist acts at ASEAN opening

Xinhua, November 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

Malaysia's Prime Minister on Saturday used the opening of the ASEAN Summit to launch a stinging condemnation of terrorist attacks that have shaken the world in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Najib Razak told leaders assembled in Kuala Lumpur that he had intended to talk about the "momentous step" that the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations were about to embark upon.

"But the events of recent days and weeks have cast a shadow over us all," said Razak.

He said the terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut, the bombing of a Russian passenger jet over the Sinai desert, a Malaysian man beheaded in the Philippines and the hotel attack in Mali showed a "sickening disregard for human life."

"The perpetrators of these cowardly and barbaric acts do not represent any race, religion or creed, nor should we allow them to claim to do so. They are terrorists and should be confronted as such with the full force of the law," said Razak.

He told fellow leaders they could be assured that Malaysia stood with them "against this new evil that blasphemes against the name of Islam." Endit