JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is not a country which fosters terrorism, but rather one which promotes Islamic tolerance, according to Mubashir Malik, British journalist and a Saudi Aramco consultant. In an exclusive interview with Saudi Gazette, he said the world should not make any judgements based on the agenda of international media organizations. “The international media has worked ceaselessly to portray KSA as the source of all terrorism. It is totally unfair. I have been in this country for three years and I have not faced any problems,” he said. Malik advised the Saudi media to bring in more experts from Western news agencies like Reuters and the BBC to make an impact on international coverage. “People around the world need to change the stereotypical image of Saudis. Terrorism has nothing to do with them,” he said. There is no difference between an English newspaper in Saudi Arabia and British and American newspapers in terms of tackling international issues, he said. The culture of bias, he said, must be changed so that more issues can be discussed, especially those which are creating a gulf between Saudi Arabia and the international community. “I was lucky when I visited this country to perform Umrah at an early age. My perception before I came here was that this country is the main source of Islam as well as the country of the holy sites,” he said. Commenting on the working environment in the Kingdom, he said it is very progressive given that 70 percent of the country consists of young people. Malik is currently pursuing a career in finance and business at Saudi Aramco and preparing a book based on the financial markets of Saudi Arabia. He started his career in journalism with the ‘World of Sports' program for ARY Digital Network. Saudi youths, he said, need to work on promoting various aspects of Saudi society, in particular its business environment. Social media networking is very important for Saudi youths to connect with people all over the world. “Facebook could promote the integrity of Saudis and change people's view of them,” he said. He rejected allegations of discrimination against women in Saudi Arabia. “Women in Saudi Arabia are leaders. They are able to express themselves. What is mentioned in international media about them losing their rights is not true. They are contributing to building and developing this country by organizing forums and studying at international universities.
