Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has warned against the rise of extremism in the country, but at the same time urged the people to be calm and rational in the face of such acts.

In his strongest message yet against the rising tide of racialism in the country, he said that he is "strongly opposed to these types of behaviour".

NONE Najib ( left ) cautioned that extremism will only be a stumbling block in the nation's progress.

"While we have achieved so much, it troubles me to see a rise in issues rooted in extremism in the nation. This is not limited to racism.

"Extremists are groups or individuals who subscribe to radical views and actions against others. They treat anyone who is different as an enemy and engineer fear in people who don't conform to their thoughts or ideologies and, in some cases, in people who simply look different," said the premier.

In his Malaysia Day message entitled ‘Our fight against extremism' which appeared on his blog, he said he is "saddened" that despite living in an independent multi-cultural nation, there are still those who cannot tolerate, much less accept the benefits of a diverse society.

"It saddens me because by rejecting our diverse way of life, they reject 1Malaysia," he said, without referring to any particular group or individual.

najib 1malaysia blog malaysia day 150910 In his blog posting, Najib also included a picture of the Malaysia Day celebrations held at City Hall, Singapore in 1963, when the city-state announced their agreement to form Malaysia together with Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah.

The figure standing at the centre of the stage is a young Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore.

Protection against extremists

In an attempt to assuage fears when the perception is that race relations is at one of its lowest ebbs, Najib said that the government will continue to defend Malaysians against extremist groups.

"While these groups are often small in number, their presence is amplified through their extreme sentiments and acts.

"Nonetheless, the government continues to keep a watchful eye on such groups. We have dealt effectively with a number of extreme cases in Malaysia, such as militant groups that have instigated conflicts and posed a genuine threat to national security.

"We will continue to protect the rakyat and the nation from threats from outside or within, through land, sea, air or cyberspace," he said.

He also lauded Malaysians who have displayed maturity against such groups.

"Economies have faltered because of acts of extremism, and the road to recovery is often long and hard.

"As Malaysians, we can do our part to restrict the growth of extremism on our shores. By educating ourselves and participating in mature and rational dialogue, a deeper understanding can be reached between two parties with dissimilar views," he said.