Championing Malay rights must not be at expense of others, says Anwar

 

The quest to champion Malay rights should not come at the expense of non-Malays and the issue should be addressed within the context of a multiracial society, said PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar shared this when commenting on the book by the late Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) former president Siddiq Fadzil at Universiti Selangor (Unisel) in Shah Alam this morning.

“Siddiq's strength was that he explained (how to) strengthen one's position as a Malay and that the Malay spirit should not belittle or marginalise the culture and views of other races,” he added.

However, Anwar also noted the proliferation of disparaging views toward the Malays.

“On the other hand, there are those who look down on the Malays, there are many of them (too). This is the problem now,” he added.

Respect multiracial society

Elaborating on the author's views, Anwar said Siddiq emphasised that “we should be rooted in the Malay land (bumi Melayu) but also accept the fact that we must uphold the rakyat's dignity in the concept of citizenship and understanding of Islam.”

“To me, it is important that the discourse on (being) Malay and Muslim is in the context of a multiracial society.

“What Siddiq has done, over the decades, is to ensure we have a correct understanding of what (it means to be) a Malay in terms of cultural awareness and language expertise.

“At the same time, you must appreciate the fact this is a multiracial country and you need to respect that reality. Work as citizens and emphasise the issue of compassion and humanity,” Anwar added.

Siddiq, who died last August due to a lung infection, had also acted as Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia’s board of directors chairperson and Institut Darul Ehsan chairperson.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari and Pandan MP Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail were also at the Unisel event, which witnessed the opening of the Siddiq Fadzil Leadership and Ideas Institute. - Mkini