KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5: Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called for a study into the causes of terrorism and told his first news conference on Wednesday to study while chairing his first meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday, according to Defence Minister Najib Razak.

The study would seek “to find the source of influence that caused the militant groups to resort to terrorism,” Najib said.

At his first news conference on Wednesday, Abdullah was asked whether he was prepared to work with the hardline opposition Islamic Party (PAS).

“We will work with anybody. With PAS there will be opportunities for us to talk. I think we must take politics out of the mosque.”

Abdullah’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has run Malaysia as a moderate Muslim country with a secular constitution since independence from Britain in 1957, while PAS wants to create a theocratic Islamic state.

Several members of PAS are among some 90 alleged Islamic militants in detention without trial, accused of supporting terrorist groups.

Najib said that Abdullah was satisfied with the security situation in Malaysia.—AFP