Malaysia has proven that diversity works, says Agong

PARLIAMENT | The perception that Malaysia's ethnic, religious and cultural diversity was a "recipe for disaster" is on the decline, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V said.

"We are grateful that as a nation, we have proven otherwise," the Agong said in his speech officiating the first session of the 14th Parliament today.

Unity and harmony among Malaysians must be preserved and improved, the Agong said, while negative elements and actions which threatened this must be addressed.

"Stop the bickerings on racially sensitive issues," he decreed.

Since coming to power, the Pakatan Harapan administration has been repeatedly accused of acting against Islam and Malays, particularly on the new government's decision to appoint non-Muslims to head several key offices.

For instance, PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan said the appointment of Richard Malanjum as chief justice, Liew Vui Keong as law minister and Tommy Thomas as attorney-general had placed non-Muslims in control of the legal system and judiciary.

Nasrudin claimed that this had caused unease among Muslims.

Another controversy of late involved the plan of the federal government to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), an A-level equivalent used by private Chinese schools, which critics such as Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki oppose.

Meanwhile, the Agong's speech also saw him welcoming the new government's plans to establish a Consultative Council for People's Harmony.

The council was part of Pakatan Harapan's election pledge, which was aimed at studying policy proposals and programmes to eradicate discrimination and formulate a National Harmony Act.

The council will also serve as a platform for mediation and reconciliation for ethnic and religious issues and work towards creating a Malaysia based on centripetalism. -Mkini