Kuala Lumpur - The special rights and privileges of Malays should not be questioned but the community should make every effort to improve and stay united, the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan said.
Tengku Mohammad Faris Petra Sultan Ismail Petra reiterated that nobody should challenge Malay rights and privileges, adding that these developments were becoming apparent following the recent general elections.
“The Malay Rulers will act as a source of unity and loyalty among all the people as stated in the Constitution and Rukunegara.
“As such, the people should be united and no one should question the special rights and privileges of the Malays because it is quid pro quo in return for providing citizenships to 2.7 million people of other races who joined the Malay Federation.
“It is not appropriate for the other races to demand equal rights and privileges after they had already acquired their citizenships,” he said in his opening address at a Malay unity gathering held in conjunction with the Maulidur Rasul celebration at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.
The theme of the event, organised by a group of Malay NGOs named Barisan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu (BBPM), was “Malay Unity is the Core of National Unity.”
The NGOs included the National Writers Alliance (Gapena), Federation of Peninsula Malay Students, Pekida and the Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association.
Tengku Mohammad Faris, however, reminded them that while they pursued stronger Malay unity, they should not ignore the rights of other races, such as freedom to practise their religions.
Source: thestar.com.my (15 April 2008)