Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom said religious harmony had long been achieved, but every religion seemed to be within their own cocoon as any discussion of religion was seen as too personal and only to be shared by the adherents.

“We are talking to our own groups and audience and are never willing to sit together at a table to discuss in an open manner. It is not an issue of crossing to the (other) religions and blaming each other’s religions.”

He said this in his speech to close an inter-faith dialogue programme themed Maintaining Religious Sensitivity is Basis of National Unity and Harmony at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) yesterday.

Jamil said the growth of the seeds of discord existing today must be curbed from now to prevent it from becoming an agent of destruction of national unity.

The technological era has seen the dumping of new media applications which posed a challenge and threat to inter-faith ties.

During the ceremony, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in an effort to spur the development of the Northern Corridor Economic Region between UUM and the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM).

UUM was represented by vice-chancellor Prof Mohamed Mustafa Ishak and YaPEIM was represented by its director-general, Abibullah Samsudin.

This was to fulfill the YaPEIM agenda of boosting the socio-economy of the community, eradicating poverty and empowering the women and youths.