PETALING JAYA: Criticising and asking questions are allowed but making allegations, especially against the royal institution, is unacceptable, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said this in response to Malaysia's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, which saw the country drop 34 places from 73 last year to 107 this year.
“I have been called the Antichrist, the dajjal, a Zionist agent but there has been no charge, not even investigations.
“But when you touch on institutional royalty, that is where you draw a line, a red line.
“In our constitutional monarchy system, the Rulers or Sultans are in no position to respond,” he said.
Anwar said this during an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday (May 19).
The Prime Minister said while he upholds media freedom, inciting racial disharmony cannot be tolerated.
“If (someone) incites racial riot, would you allow that? You say only Muslims can be candidates in elections but we have 40% non-Muslims. Where do you want to throw them?
“We have a limit. We have laws. It doesn’t matter if we are being downgraded (in the press freedom index).
“By condemning race and religion, you are inviting and inciting riots, and we cannot afford this in our country,” he added.
