Selangor sultan sounds warning over Malay disunity

Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah at an event in Shah Alam yesterday. (Bernama pic)

SHAH ALAM: Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah says he is saddened by the problem of Malay disunity, which according to him has reached worrying levels.

He said the split was bad as there were many groups claiming to fight for the interests of the Malays, adding that this became worse when the groups criticised each other as well.

He said the situation was exacerbated by a handful of Malay leaders who openly hurl ridicule and sarcasm against their own race.

“Open arguments and bickering among the Malays is happening everywhere, including on social media and mainstream media. The disputes involve all aspects, to the extent that small things become the cause of conflict and result in a significant split.

“The slander hurled by one party to another and feelings of jealousy, betrayal and hatred displayed seem to be a kind of culture among the Malays,” he said at a buka puasa event with the people here yesterday.

Also present were the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari and other state dignitaries.

Sultan Sharafuddin said this was disappointing because the Malays are adherents of Islam which always prioritises the inculcation of noble values in Muslims.

But he said the Malays appeared to have forgotten about the boundaries placed by religion to prevent disunity and disputes as these values were not put into practice.

Sultan Sharafuddin also reminded the Malays that they would jeopardise everything in terms of religious, economic, political and educational rights if they continue to live in disunity, as others would benefit from it.

“Do we want to see the Malays one day being marginalised and becoming slaves in our own homeland? Do we want to see the Malays colonised in terms of religion, economy, political power, education, thinking and various other aspects of life?

“If we are not careful and continue to fight and split, either among the Malays or fellow Malay leaders, then I believe all the things that I mentioned will become a reality in the near future,” he said.

As the state’s sultan, he added, it is his responsibility to preserve unity among the people, especially among the Malay majority who are Muslims.

However, he said this did not mean that he is a racist as he wants all the people to live in comfort and harmony, and to enjoy the wealth of the nation fairly and equally.

Sultan Sharafuddin also called on the Malays to be united and to set aside their wrangling, and for Malay leaders regardless of party politics to stop the culture of political rhetoric and to refrain from labelling their own race with harsh criticism.

He said the Malays are now more in need of solidarity, including among their leaders, so that any shortcomings can be overcome with a good attitude, cooperation, mutual help and selflessness while discarding treacherous envy and vengeance.

He also said there was no need for Malays to accept open criticism and innuendo that could hurt the feelings of the community.

“Leaders, especially Malay leaders, have to play a role to help the Malays effectively without insulting and calling them names, causing the Malays to lose confidence and remain weak.

“Malay leaders should not only think of their short-term interests and merely seek popularity in a particular group, thus setting aside the fundamentals of preserving the interests of the Malays as a whole,” he said.

Giving the example of the fall of the Melaka Sultanate empire which he said was due to jealousy, betrayal, greed, disunity and power struggles, he urged the Malays to learn from those mistakes.

“I am confident if the Malays are united and cooperate closely, there are no obstacles that cannot be overcome and the Malays will surely achieve success again and become a powerful and dignified race,” he said. - FMT