KUALA TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi admits that he would fail as a good Muslim leader if he were to deprive non-Muslims in the country equal opportunities and quality education.

Citing verses from the Quran, Abdullah said it was his paramount obligation as a Muslim head of state to see to it that non-Muslims develop under his leadership.

"Even Prophet Muhammad had ensured that the minorities under his care were not deprived, even though they were not Muslims during his era.

"My responsibility to aid every Malaysian regardless of their religion, and quality education should also reach Chinese- and Tamil-type schools," he said when addressing some 2,000 Islamic scholars and teachers at Wisma Darul Iman here yesterday.

Abdullah said the needs of the minorities and non-Muslims should also not be ignored by other Muslim leaders.

"They should listen and provide the necessary remedies, that's good leadership professed by Islam," he said.

Abdullah added that the Muslims in the country were dubbed as the "enlightened" ones by foreigners who perceived them as the more moderate and reasonable lots.

"Let us preserve this and focus on developing Muslims to greater heights without wasting time on ridiculous propagandas issued by certain bigots," he said.

Abdullah said there were some quarters who were spreading messages that Muslims who were involved in mega projects brought by the Barisan government would obliterate their faith and this was against the teaching of Islam.

Later, Abdullah launched the SMK and SJK (C) Chung Hwa Wei Sin development projects here.

In his speech during the ceremony, he said any problems concerning education issues among the different races in Malaysia could be settled because the Barisan was a coalition of friends.

"And because we are friends, we work together, help each other and overcome all problems," Abdullah said.