Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged all political parties not to exploit the royal institution issue in Negeri Sembilan as a political talking point or campaign material during the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election on Aug 1.
Speaking at the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate announcement ceremony on Tuesday, Anwar said the matter was unrelated to the election and should not be turned into a political issue.
“I want to advise our friends from other parties not to use this issue because it has no relevance to the state election.
“It is not because I am worried or afraid. Our responsibility is to uphold the constitutional monarchy and defend the Federal Constitution,” he said.
The Prime Minister warned that politicising the issue would only prolong unnecessary disputes and could potentially lead to legal consequences.
Anwar, who also chairs Pakatan Harapan, also expressed disappointment that DAP continues to face accusations questioning its commitment to Malay interests.
“We continue to hear criticism that DAP is supposedly anti-Malay. But as far as I remember, when I led Pakatan Rakyat, I was PKR president, Lim Kit Siang was DAP secretary-general, and PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang. Together, we signed a document affirming our commitment to uphold the principles of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
He stressed that the agreement explicitly recognised and protected the country’s core constitutional principles, including the constitutional monarchy, Islam as the religion of the Federation, Malay as the national language, and the rights of Malays and Bumiputera.
Anwar called on all parties to conduct their election campaigns responsibly and avoid resorting to slander or inciting racial and religious sentiments.
“We can compete in politics, but we must not spread false accusations or insult other races and religions.
“Malaysia is a multiracial nation, while Islam remains the religion of the Federation, and the rights of Malays and Bumiputera remain fundamental pillars of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
He added that anyone who continues to exploit the issue is either ignorant of the country’s history or deliberately choosing to ignore well-established constitutional facts.
