KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today said that the coalition had always been fair to all races and religions in Malaysia.

Even as other parties have accused PN of using the 3Rs – Race, Religion, and Royalty — to win over Malay voters, Muhyiddin said the coalition focuses on the people’s needs.

"Our agenda has always been clear. We don’t focus on those issues but on what is important to the people. Especially the situation now when voters feel the unity government has not done much.

"In fact, some said it has failed to do what was promised in its manifesto. I think if we were to give them a blank page, the majority would support my argument.

"It is not about race or religion. We treat all Malaysians fairly, but our concern is how we should address the problems that we are facing — inflation, the cost of living, the rising cost of goods and services, helping businesses.

"This will be the key message that we want to mention in our campaign, which we are doing already,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the seat negotiations committee.

Muhyiddin said PN acknowledged the issue of the 3Rs, but it was not its biggest concern for its state election campaign.

"Those are issues that we have acknowledged many times before. The key in this election now is to address the problems that the people are facing today,” he said.

On June 14, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail challenged government critics, especially those in the Opposition, to come up with better ideas and policies that benefit Malaysia instead of sowing division with the 3Rs.

He said that certain politicians like PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang often play up the 3Rs to gain attention, adding that such actions are dangerous and can fan discord in multireligious and multicultural Malaysia.

The PKR secretary-general claimed Abdul Hadi had never directly engaged with anyone on policy issues, compared to his frequency in citing topics related to the 3Rs.