SYDNEY (November 24, 2021): Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims (IFAM) condemns the inappropriate comment passed by West Australian Premier Mark McGowan. He has likened alleged threats to behead himself and his family to “Islamic
fundamentalism”. This is inappropriate as it passes on the wrong message about Islam and Muslims to the wider communities.

The fact that Australians who are resisting COVID vaccinations have used threats to express their extreme frustration
with the WA premier but that is no reason to compare angry threat makers to Islamic fundamentalists. In the current environment Muslim communities are performing their duties conscientiously. Some examples are:

1. Muslim leaders have been actively advocating the COVID-19 vaccines, and have established clinics in Islamic schools, Mosques and helped the WA government spread the word within the Muslim community with the correct information to convince them to get vaccinated.

2. COVID-19 Vaccination clinics were set up at Australian Islamic College in WA, Masjid Al Rahman and Masjid e Ibrahim to facilitate the vaccinate drive amongst the Muslim community.

We demand an immediate apology to Australian Muslims and a withdrawal of the comments by Premier Mark McGowan.

The Islamic Forum for Australian Muslims is a leading Australian Muslim organisation dedicated to the betterment of society through the application of Islamic values. Since 1993, IFAM has worked to build better relations between
communities by devoting itself to education, outreach, social services and relief efforts.