PENAMPANG, May 31 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said he will not compromise on the need to preserve the security and unity of all Malaysians, emphasising the importance of standing together.
The people must not underestimate the forces that threaten the nation's security and unity with narrow views of specific races or religions, which are damaging to the country's fabric.
“That is why I made it very clear that as long as this government persist with the cooperation of the state government in Sabah, we will continue to fight, demand and ensure the rights of every single citizen and community in Malaysia must be protected and preserved.
“I have to continue to reiterate this point because there are forces, and you have seen some extreme views that have been expressed.
"After 60 years, six decades of independence, you can still hear, and this should not be tolerated,” he said during the closing ceremony of the Kaamatan Festival at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association's (KDCA) Hongkod Koisaan Hall today.
Also present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzli, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, and KDCA president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
Anwar added that in a democratic country, there should be space to express views, but it is essential to have limits.
To this, it is not the Prime Minister's priority to be recognised and highly regarded by the international community for protecting the rights of the citizens, but to the extent of permitting them to issue opinions that are damning, racist, or based on extreme religious views.
“That is not my priority; I even consider it less important. But I will not compromise on the need to preserve the security and unity of all Malaysians and that we must stand together,” he said.
Anwar said he is open to criticism, disagreement with the government's policies, reasonable demands, and proposals involving difficult issues but that he will not tolerate acts of insulting race or religion and rejecting their rights.
He noted that although Malaysia has been independent for decades, there still remain certain individuals or quarters who carry hard racial sentiments, like political battles in the Peninsula rejecting the presence and rights of representatives of other races while playing religious sentiments to the point that those who do not agree are worthless.
"The Madani government, together with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, are firm in our stance on holding the clear principles of the (Malaysian) Constitution about religion, culture, and language; we will not deny or go back on the statement that we must honour every race, culture, every right of Malaysians," Anwar said.
In an effort to defend the people's fate, the Federal government is committed to continuing to work with the Sabah state government to solve the problems faced by the state's people, especially those involving schools and poverty.
Therefore, he called on the Sabah government led by Hajiji not to pay attention to negative words issued by outsiders and to continue working with the Federal government to defend the fate of Sabahans.
"It is important for us to solve the problems of the people, and it is the duty of the federal government to defend the people of Sabah... I am here to defend the people of Sabah, not because I want timber or other interests," Anwar said.
— Bernama
