Malaysia's prime minister plans to meet Pope

July 05, 2011: Malaysia's prime minister plans to meet Pope Benedict XVI this month as part of efforts to establish diplomatic ties with the Vatican, a government official said on Monday.

It would be only the second meeting between a leader of Muslim-majority Malaysia and the pope. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad met Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 2002 for talks focusing on Christian-Muslim relations and the Middle East.

A representative of the Prime Minister Najib Razak said a meeting with Benedict is scheduled for shortly after July 15, when Najib wraps up a visit to London. The exact location of the talks has not been determined.

The planned meeting comes following tensions between Malaysia's Muslims and religious minorities in recent years over complaints of religious discrimination.

Roman Catholics and other Christians comprise nearly 10 percent of Malaysia's 28 million people. Nearly two-thirds of the population are ethnic Malay Muslims, while other minorities include ethnic Chinese and Indian Buddhists and Hindus.

Establishing diplomatic links is expected to be among the subjects discussed, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements.

Malaysia is one of about 16 countries - including China, Afghanistan, Myanmar, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Vietnam - that currently have no diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

However, the Vatican has an ``Apostolic Delegate'' who serves as its liaison with Malaysia.

The Malaysian Insider news website said Najib will be accompanied at his meeting by Malaysian Catholic officials headed by the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Murphy Pakiam. However, Pakiam's representatives could not immediately be contacted.