PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he would not want to be prime minister if the principles contained in the Federal Constitution, including the rights of the Malays and the position of Islam, were disputed.

Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, said irresponsible parties, especially in the opposition, should not raise the issue to intimidate the Malays.

“Who can dispute Malay leadership, the power of the Malays, Islam as the federal religion, the Malay language, the special rights of the Malay people, the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers? No one.

“Our friends in DAP, MIC, MCA, and even in PKR who are non-Malays have never disputed that, and I do not want to be prime minister if the principles in the federal constitution are disputed,” he said.

Anwar said this at the Madani Unity Mega Ceramah programme in conjunction with the Simpang Jeram by-election in Sungai Abong tonight, which was also attended by Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Teo Nie Ching and PH candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman.

The prime minister said the Malays are used to promises and slogans that supposedly emphasise Islam and the Malays, but when the opposition parties controlled the previous government, they did not make any changes.

“Was Islam better upheld, was corruption reduced, was the practice of stealing people’s property reduced? Nothing, there were just many slogans,” he said.

Anwar said the situation then was very different from the current administration, which will defend people of various races in the country for as long as it rules.

He said he did not mind being reviled and insulted, but his determination and desire to make Malaysia an economic powerhouse in the region would never waver.

“Insult (me) as much as you want. (I have endured) 25 years of being insulted, I don’t care. I want to use this power to help the state and the people,” he said.

The prime minister urged voters in Simpang Jeram to support Nazri to strengthen the state government and help facilitate efforts to drive development in the constituency. – Bernama, September 3, 2023.