Muslim leader condemns ‘offensive’ Anzac Day comments, welcomes citizenship test

A PROMINENT Muslim leader has labelled Yassmin Abdel-Magied’s Anzac Day Facebook “offensive” but doesn't think she should be sacked by the ABC.

ONE of Australia’s most prominent Muslim community leaders has backed Malcolm Turnbull’s new citizenship test and denounced the Anzac Day comments of Yassmin Abdel-Magied as “offensive”.

However Jamal Rifi says Ms Abdel-Magied’s Facebook post did not merit her sacking from the ABC now that she had retracted and apologised for the “offensive comment”.

The host of ABC 24’s Saturday morning Australia Wide caused massive nationwide outrage on Tuesday when she wrote on Facebook: “Lest We Forget (Manus. Nauru. Syria. Palestine.)”

The 26-year-old deleted the post after an immediate online backlash and wrote: “It was brought to my attention that my last post was disrespectful, and for that I unreservedly apologise.”

Dr Rifi, a prominent Lebanese Muslim community leader and Australia Day ambassador, who is also spokesman for the Australian Syrian Association, said the comment was clearly offensive but did not merit her sacking, as many people have called for.

“It is an offensive comment but it is not a sackable offence,” he told news.com.au.

“It is good that she retracted and apologised for the offensive comment.”

The now-deleted Facebook post from Yassmin Abdel-Magied that prompted the outrage.

Dr Rifi said young people who failed to realise the significance of Anzac Day should walk the Kokoda Track.

He also praised the Prime Minister’s controversial new values test for citizenship as a valuable tool in tackling extremism, citing the case of Sydney siege terrorist Man Haron Monis, who was granted asylum in Australia before going on to kill in the name of Islamic State.

“I, and many like me in the community, support the proposed citizenship changes,” Dr Rifi told news.com.au.

“As the fine print is not so onerous and has in-built exemptions and leniency for special cases — applicants with permanent and enduring incapacity — I don’t see the changes in the spirit of the infamous dictation test but rather in the spirit of prevention of another Man Haron Monis joining our Australian family. And this can only be good for all of us.”

Dr Rifi said that with citizenship came not just rights but also a responsibility to uphold Australian values.

“With your citizenship also comes responsibilities. Most of those responsibilities are defined by our shared values,” he said.

“Now more than ever is a time for us to work together to uphold the core values of our society. Promoting those values will further help in reshaping our national identity and character.

“The objective is to have Australians old and new, united through these shared values. They define us as a society and as a civilisation.”

Prominent Muslim community leader and GP Jamal Rifi. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

Dr Rifi listed those values as:

*Western pluralism

*Democratic institutions

*Freedom

*Justice

*Respect

*Tolerance

*Inclusion, and

*Equality.

Dr Rifi said these shared values actually reinforce, defend and celebrate the success of multiculturalism.

“By defining our values we are one step closer to defining who we are as a nation,” he said.