THE government has never discussed changing the status of Islam as the official religion of the country, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the accusations made by the opposition regarding the issue are deemed a distortion of facts and could incite hatred.
"We have never discussed changing the principles related to language, Islam, the special rights of Malays and Bumiputera or the position of (Malay) Rulers.
"None of these topics has ever been discussed or raised during my tenure as prime minister,” he said when launching the National Language Month 2024 at the Ipoh Convention Centre today.
Anwar emphasised that such statements would only fuel hatred among the public.
"I took a firm stance and have mentioned to Saarani earlier; criticise our economic policies, criticise the issues, criticise the prime minister for not being wise in some areas.
"But you cannot lie, slander and instil fear as if what we are doing has destroyed the language, ethnicity or religion of the country," he added.
Anwar also urged the opposition to stop creating a culture of fear and anxiety, likening it to frightening children with ghost stories. - October 6, 2024
