Mahathir: Muslims must be industrious and stop being dependent

Mahathir says Muslims must be industrious and stop being dependen (Bernama)t

Phnom Penh: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged Muslims to do away with the mentality of depending on others for aid and assistance.

He added that Muslims must constantly strive to be industrious, honest and efficient to enhance their socio-economic standing.

“It is very sad when we find Muslims everywhere mired in poverty and dependent on aid from others. Why? That is because they do not make enough effort,” he said.

“We know that when we own a trade or have a job, we do not have to rely on others. However, what we are seeing is the opposite… we have the intelligence and the skills but we are not taking advantage of them. That is why we have to return to the foundations of Islam,” Mahathir said, quoted by the Malaysian news agency BERNAMA.

The prime minister was speaking in Phnom Penh where he arrived, accompanied by his wife, Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, for a three-day official visit to Cambodia after 25 years at the invitation of his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen.

Dr Mahathir received a courtesy call from Cambodian Muslim leader cum Senior Minister-in-charge of Islamic Affairs, Dr Othman Hassan.

Dr Mahathir was honoured with the Muslim Exemplary Leadership award by the Cambodian Muslim Community in recognition of Malaysia’s role in assisting the Muslims in the country, BERNAMA said.

Later, Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah attended a dinner with some 300 Malaysians working and residing in the Cambodian capital attended the dinner.