MALAYSIANS should not accept claims that the Chinese community or any other race was responsible for problems at Tabung Haji without first examining the facts, Parti Amanah Negara (AMANAH) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said.
He said the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Tabung Haji differed from the initial narrative circulated publicly, highlighting the dangers of drawing conclusions based on unverified information.
"For example, we say that the Chinese destroyed Tabung Haji. But when the RCI findings were presented, it was found that those responsible for damaging Tabung Haji were all Malays.
"This is why we say people should not accept initial information that causes them to form perceptions based entirely on race," he said at a press conference after launching his latest book, Mustadhafin vs Mustakbirin, at Berjaya Times Square Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, said the spread of unverified information could be exploited to shape public perceptions along racial lines, particularly in politics.
He said such an approach should be avoided in a multiracial country like Malaysia.
"In Johor and also in Negeri Sembilan, it is not about winning or losing, but the issues being used are racial in nature.
"This is what we need to avoid in a country like Malaysia," he said.
Mat Sabu, who also serves as the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said racial politics was easier to promote because it did not require people to read, study or understand an issue in depth.
He said promoting a broader and more inclusive political vision, by contrast, required patience because attacking or blaming another community was a far easier approach.
"It is difficult because in this struggle, when we insult the Malay community, people do not need to read or study.
"It is easy; we simply attack another community. That is easy politics," he said.
He also warned against 'asabiyah, which he described as an attitude of defending one's own community even when it had done wrong, while portraying good deeds by other communities negatively.
"'Asabiyah' means that whatever our community does, even if it is wrong, we have to say it is right. When another community does something good, we have to say it is wrong," he said.
Mat Sabu acknowledged that promoting the Islamic concept of Rahmatan Lil Alamin remained challenging but said the effort must be pursued with patience.
"I admit that promoting the concept of Islam Rahmatan Lil Alamin is difficult, but we have to be patient. Things such as this racial mindset may rise temporarily, but we believe young people will return to the reality that exists, God willing," he added. - August 17, 2026
