Rohingya News Agency-(Bernama): Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urged the Muslim minority in ‎Asean countries, including those in Myanmar, to give priority to education.‎

He said that the Muslim communities should seek to empower themselves with education and pursue ‎knowledge which is relevant to their needs in the 21st century.‎

Abdullah said this in his keynote address at the International Forum on Plight of Muslims in Burma in ‎the 21st century: An Initiative for Solution and the Way Forward, held at the International Institute of ‎Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS), here, Wednesday.‎

He said that apart from education, the development of youths and economy of the Muslim ‎communities were also important aspects to be considered in order to achieve a better future for the ‎respective Muslim minority.‎

However, Abdullah, who is patron of IAIS Malaysia, stressed that in trying to achieve this, they should ‎not sought to violence but instead adopt peaceful means and work in tandem with the non-Muslim ‎communities.‎

He also pointed out that the more developed Muslim communities could also help the less developed ‎ones in order to achieve this success and to secure their rights in society.‎

Speakers at the half-day forum, organised by IAIS Malaysia, included President of the International ‎Movement for a Just World (JUST) Dr Chandra Muzaffar, while the moderator was Deputy CEO of ‎IAIS Associate Professor Dr Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil.‎

Dr Chandra said that it was true that Myanmar has made some changes such as parliamentary ‎elections, changes in economy and was now more open to foreign investment.‎

‎"But perhaps these changes will not bring about fundamental transformation in the Myanmar society," ‎he said adding that Asean had a responsibility to try to bring about the change.‎

‎"We would like to see Asean governments adopt a more proactive approach to the question of the ‎Rohingyas in Myanmar and of the other minorities," he added.‎

He said it was important for Asean to speak up and say "lets try to resolve this problem, you must ‎resolve the root of the problem," which is the question of the citizenship and the question of the nature ‎of the regime in Myanmar.‎

However, Dr Chandra emphasised that the issue must be resolved through non-violence and ‎peaceful methods.‎

Asean (Association of Southeast Nations) comprise Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, ‎Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, ‎Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam..‎