Malaysia said today it will host an international centre for Muslim journalists aimed at countering attacks on Islam and negative images of the religion.

Malaysia's Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin said journalists should be aware of attempts by Western media to undermine the religion and manipulate Muslim sentiment.

He said an Islamic journalism centre would provide a meeting point for Muslim journalists to discuss common issues and provide an antidote to growing Islamophobia.

"There is no denying that there is an agenda to belittle Islam and Muslims among certain quarters in the West, using the media," Zainuddin was quoted as telling a gathering of Arab media here by the state Bernama news agency.

"Various tactics, including deception, are used in the onslaught against Muslims to work up their emotions because these people know full well that Muslims would respond in full agitation when their religion is attacked."

Courses and fellowship

Zainuddin said the proposed International Islamic Journalism Centre would offer training courses and fellowship for Muslims and also educate non-Muslim journalists about the religion.

The centre is not intended to "fight with the west," he said. "We only want to inform (the international community) about the real situation in the Islamic world."

The minister said Malaysia was willing to partially fund the centre, but gave no date for when it would be opened.