Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Wednesday that scouts can help create universal peace based on their philosophy of brotherhood and peace.

The prime minister said scouts all over the world were inculcated with a high spirit of brotherhood and love for peace and were ready to extend a helping hand at any time.

Abdullah, who is also president of the Malaysian Scouts Federation, said this after opening the week long scouts' Third International Peace Jamboree here attended by about 1,000 scouts from the Asia-Pacific region including Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Kuwait, Indonesia, Turkey and Malaysia.

Noting that some of the participants from the Middle East which had specific problems, Abdullah said that through the jamboree, they could discuss various matters aimed at creating peace.

"With this meeting, they can get to understand the problems and sufferings of the people in the countries the Middle East whose land has been occupied," he said.

The scouts in Malaysia were always ready to help, especially during natural disasters or other accidents which needed many volunteers, he said.

Expressing the hope that more young people in the country would join the scouts movement, he said: "I was a scout in school and I really value the friendship that I forged with the Chinese, Indian and Sikh students and those from my own race and until today we keep in touch and they are still my friends."

He also hoped that the foreign participants would have time to visit the Melaka Historic City and also Kuala Lumpur to see the rapid development and the harmony among the country's multiracial people.

Source: Bernama