ANWAR Ibrahim told the Sikh community in Port Dickson that the majority cannot impose their will and views on the minority and vice versa, in his first Port Dickson campaign stop this evening.

“No one can stop the stark reality that this is a multiracial, multicultural, and multireligious country.

“Islam is the religion of the federation, but protection is given to other faiths,” he said during a tea gathering with the community at the gurdwara in Sri Tanjung.

The Pakatan Harapan candidate said understanding and respect for each other’s differences were needed in the country.

“The majority should not impose on or compel the minority. The minority also should not impose on the majority.

“It is sometimes difficult to understand the demands of the young, or those influenced by the West, the extreme secular anti-religious West. They cannot impose their values and understandings on us.”

Anwar told the small gathering that he recently had a tough time addressing the LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders) issue and “super liberals”.

He said he himself was liberal and tolerant, having learned liberal traditions, but he disagreed with how some had tried to impose the will of the minority on the majority.

“Same-sex marriages, for example, cannot be allowed in Malaysia,” he said, adding that the various faiths in the country, despite their differences, had similar values on such matters.

Also present at the gurdwara were PKR vice-president and Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar, former Port Dickson MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, and representatives from the Hindu, Bahai, Muslim, and Buddhist communities.

Anwar, who is prime minister-in-waiting, is contesting Port Dickson in a seven-cornered fight for his return to the Dewan Rakyat.

The other candidates are PAS’ Mohd Nazari Mokhtar and independents Isa Samad, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Lau Seck Yan, Stevie Chan, and Kan Chee Yuen.

Anwar said he had visited many non-Muslim houses of worship and tried to appreciate the differences of other faiths, which earned him both support and abuse.

“It can cost me some votes among the conservative Muslims. But in Islam, we are forbidden from disrespecting other faiths and cultures.”

He also told the Sikh community in Port Dickson that even though their numbers were very small, he wanted to see them to show appreciation for their contributions to the country.

In his speech, Anwar did not make many promises, and said that he would not use any government machinery to help his campaign.

Anwar told the voters that he had a long track record and he would do his best to serve Port Dickson, boost its tourism sector to create more jobs, and assist the people.

“What I want to offer is to be the MP for Port Dickson so I can help reform Parliament and get myself ready, God willing, for when I eventually assume the office of prime minister.

“I need your support to affect this change,” he said, adding also that he was not out to take Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s job now.

“It is our job to ensure Dr Mahathir can do his job well, so he can clean up the mess… my God, it was unbelievable.

“I was finance minister for eight years but when (current Finance Minister Lim) Guan Eng briefed me about the state of our finances, I was utterly shocked at the extent of robbery and plundering that happened before our eyes.

“Dr Mahathir needs all the support we can give to make the necessary changes and get us back on track.”

Polling day for Port Dickson is on October 13. – September 29, 2018.