KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Political leaders continue to ply hateful communal politics despite the danger this poses to the fabric of the country, the Sultan of Selangor said in a special message ahead of Merdeka Day tomorrow.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah further pointed out that the unnamed politicians have also continued to do so despite his repeated calls for them to cease pitting Malaysians against each other.
“I often advise leaders and politicians to avoid inciting hate politics; however, this negative culture is still practised by some leaders and politicians,” the Sultan said.
Sultan Sharafuddin added that he would not relent in his message, reminding Malaysians that diversity should not be a reason to keep apart, but used to foster a respectful and plural society.
He also advised Malaysians to be mindful when broaching sensitive topics such as the race, religion, and royalty — the so-called 3R topics — in order to avoid poisoning discourse.
The Sultan further said that public criticism of the constitutional monarchy in upholding the principles of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy was unbecoming, and akin to dragging the apolitical institution into partisan disputes.
“Therefore, any criticism or feedback against the government and the royal institution should be voiced through the proper channels and carried out with prudence.”
The latest such incident involved Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was charged with sedition on Tuesday over his remarks about the previous Yang diPertuan Agong, while campaigning in the Nenggiri by-election.
Sultan Sharafuddin also advised younger Malaysians to take the time to investigate the meaning of Merdeka, and to understand that it was more than shouting it out loud once a year on August 31.
He said there were new threats of colonialism spreading across the world through technology, particularly on social media.
