KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin expressed hope that the people will remain strong and resilient in facing the days ahead while battling the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the government has carried out measures and will spare no efforts in bringing the country out of the pandemic while assisting affected citizens.
"Don't lose hope and back down or surrender to the huge challenges faced by the country.
"Cooperation, support and assistance extended among us are needed for this. The fight and a major war like this will not be successful without huge sacrifices from all of us," he said after joining a virtual mega selawat programme joined by the public and all 89 Covid-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centres (PKRC) in the country.
Muhyiddin said the National Recovery Plan that he announced on Tuesday provides a new hope that would be carried out by the government, with the cooperation of the people.
"With the prayers and selawat we recited earlier, we remain hopeful that what we do will be blessed and given syafaat (assistance), as well as strength and encouragement for us to face the huge challenges present today.
"Insya-Allah, Allah will provide (the way to) whatever that is meant to help us. Hopefully, we are able get out of this pandemic soon," he said.
Aired on TV1 and TV3 from the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), the mega selawat event also saw the participation of Cabinet ministers, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, government officials, frontliners and patients at the centres.
It was organised by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) in collaboration with the Islamic Development Department (Jakim), with selawat recitation led by Putra Mosque Grand Imam Ikmal Zaidi Mohd Hashim together with two 'qari' Ahmad Tarmizi Ali and Amir Rahman Abbas at Kompleks Islam, Putrajaya.
The programme ended with recitation of prayers by Ikmal Zaidi to seek help from Allah SWT to protect Malaysians from any dangerous diseases, as well as for the country's wellbeing and stability.