MELAKA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has warned political parties against exploiting racial sentiments to shore up support, saying he will not compromise on safeguarding Malaysia as a country for all its people.
He said political differences should never descend into racial provocation, adding that history had shown how communal sentiments could be inflamed by parties facing internal conflict or seeking to regain support.
“This is not about politics. It is about Malaysia’s survival as a nation, and we must have the courage to say enough is enough,” he said when opening the 41st Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival at Encore Melaka here on Sunday (Sept 20).
Anwar said every Malaysian, regardless of ethnicity or region, should be able to regard the country as their own without fear or uncertainty.
“We want Malaysia to belong to all of us. We are one family. I said this decades ago, and I am saying it again now. Hence, I will not compromise.
“I will say it loud and clear: Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sabahans and Sarawakians, this is our nation.
“We must ensure that Malaysia survives as a nation of all communities,” he said.
Anwar also expressed frustration that racial disputes continued to dominate the national conversation despite Malaysia approaching seven decades of independence.
“Why are we still endlessly arguing and fighting over whose country this is? It is our country,” he said.
He stressed that promoting a shared Malaysian identity did not diminish the position of the Malays or the Malay Rulers, whose roles are enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“When I say this is our country, it does not mean that I am undermining the position of the Malays or the Malay Rulers. That is not the case.
“We accept what is provided for in the Constitution, but we must also ensure that our children do not grow up feeling like strangers in their own country,” he added.
