He said the Aidiladha festival teaches Muslims to be grateful for the blessings granted by Allah and to be willing to sacrifice to help the needy so that they will not be marginalised.

He said it was in line with the concept of Keluarga Malaysia (the Malaysian Family) which he introduced in August last year to ensure that no one is left behind.

However, he said the government needed all members of Keluarga Malaysia to work together to deal with the problem of inflation. “This is our jihad to ensure the country’s economy recovers,” he said in a message to mark Aidiladha.

Ismail said the spirit of tolerance is one of the important elements to maintain the unity and well-being of the people.

“An open-minded attitude allows us to continue to develop and protect ourselves from disagreements that will only harm the ummah,” he said.

Ismail urged Malaysians to set aside political differences and jointly enhance the dignity of religion as well as foster good relations with friends of other ethnic groups and religions.