KUALA LUMPUR – The cultures and views of other races must not be neglected in the pursuit of upholding the Malays and Islam in the country, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The opposition leader said this applied to the leadership of organisations, including the government, in consolidating the position of the Malays and Islam, adding that youth must also raise their awareness to avoid being mesmerised by mere slogans.
Instead, the PKR president said, youth must lead the country based on their own cultures and multiracial contexts.
Anwar, who is the Port Dickson MP, said this when commenting on the thoughts and social critiques of former Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) president Profesor Datuk Dr Siddiq Fadzil.
He said the late prominent academician should be used as an example in leadership.
“What Siddiq stressed is that we are rooted in the Malay ground, but we must also accept the reality that we must raise the dignity of Malaysians in the concept of nationalism,” Anwar said, as quoted by Utusan Malaysia.
“This is also true for the understanding of Islam. If not, we get the practices that we experience now. There are many interpretations that are extreme such as the Taliban’s ways and others.”
Anwar said this to reporters after attending the launch of the Siddiq Fadzil Leadership and Ideas Institute in Universiti Selangor here this afternoon.
Also present at the event was Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Unisel president and acting vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Mohammad Redzuan Othman, and Pandan MP Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Siddiq, who died in late August last year due to a lung and kidney infection, was appointed as the third Abim president between 1983 and 1991, replacing Anwar who became more active in politics at the time.
Anwar, who praised Siddiq during the event, said the thought leader had constantly stressed that being a good Muslim and Malay means having a deep appreciation for humanity.
The veteran politician also chastised some quarters in the government for failing to uphold Bahasa Malaysia as a language of knowledge without sidelining the importance of English.
"English is still important, but we cannot maintain the current situation where we do not focus on raising (Bahasa Malaysia),” Anwar said.
“This is the Education Ministry and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka’s (DBP) role to raise the position of Bahasa Malaysia, and they must be more steadfast and strong in their commitment.” – The Vibes, February 17, 2022
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