What I want to know is: what are these preachers going to preach? How do they refute radical Muslim interpretations of the Qur’an and Sunnah? If they really have a way to do this, it needs to be spread to the rest of the world. From 7News, with thanks to Ali Dashti:
Malaysia is sending moderate Islamic preachers to the restive, Muslim-dominated south of Thailand, at Bangkok’s request, to spread a message of peace and progress in hopes of curbing the region’s wave of violence. …
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the troubles there are a “very, very big concern” for Malaysia because of the close contacts across the border between southern Thai Muslims and northern Malaysians.
“We have been asked to provide, to give lectures on the role of Islamic development,” Abdullah said in an interview with CNN’s Talk Asia program.
“The idea is that (Thais) wouldn’t want to deal with militant Islam, but an Islam and Muslims who are committed to progress, committed to development, who like peace and are moderate in their ways,” he told CNN’s Talk Asia.