Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned Malaysians to guard against extremist elements, saying ‘bigger problems’ will crop up if ‘unscrupulous’ people continued to peddle their views.He said moderates should play a role in ensuring that members of the public were not swayed by ‘extremist propaganda which played on people's emotions by raising sensitive religious and racial issues’.His remarks came in the backdrop of protests by ethnic Indians protesting alleged marginalisation and demolition of their places of worship in the Muslim-majority nation."I'm really concerned when issues involving religion are brought up from time to time," he told a gathering at a Christmas event without naming any community. "If moderates don't take centre stage, surely extremist elements will occupy it, making us fall for their extremist approach being touted as a religious or national approach," he was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.He said, “bigger problems would crop up if unscrupulous people continued to peddle their extremist views.”The Prime Minister said to deal with the issue, Malaysians should manifest a high level of understanding, tolerance and respect for each other which have been the hallmarks of the multiethnic Malaysian society all this while."We do have a big responsibility to shoulder as we need to ensure that our country remains safe and peaceful for our own mutual benefit," he said.Malaysia on Monday launched a major plan to protect the Hindu temples in the country, in a move to assuage the feelings of the ethnic Indians.
