Ahmad Zahid: Insults against Islam, Malay rulers must be handled firmly

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Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for insults against Islam and the institution of the Malay Rulers to be dealt with firmly, fairly and wisely, to protect the dignity of the religion, authority of state institutions and the nation's harmony.

He noted that the unease among the Malay community is growing deeper, as the sanctity of Islam and the standing of the Malay Rulers continue to be openly attacked through various issues that stir public sensitivities.


Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, cited several specific concerns: insults against the word Allah, jokes that mock halal matters, objections to the azan (the Islamic call to prayer), and acts of disrespect toward the institution of the Malay Rulers.

"Islam is the religion of the Federation, and the Malay Rulers are the pillars of national sovereignty. So when these two main pillars are disturbed, the people's anxiety cannot be treated as a small matter," he said in a speech today at the Musyawarah Nasional (National Discourse) themed Malay Unease: What Is the Solution?

The founder of Musyawarah Nasional further stressed that while freedom of speech must continue to be respected, it cannot be used as a pretext to insult religion, belittle the institution of the Malay Rulers, or undermine the very foundations of national harmony.