THE Selangor Royal Court wants Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad investigated for sedition, for allegedly inciting hatred towards those of Bugis descent.

In a statement today, Selangor Royal Court secretary Hanafisah Jais said Dr Mahathir had appeared to incite Malaysians to hate, degrade and view the Bugis community with contempt.

Dr Mahathir allegedly made such remarks in a speech at the Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy rally in Petaling Jaya on October 14, Hanafisah said.

“Members of the Royal Court feel (Dr Mahathir’s) speech was extremely excessive, and can spark hatred and feelings of ill will towards the Bugis community, to the point of causing chaos and disharmony,” said the statement.

“The verbal attacks have indirectly demeaned the history and heritage of the Selangor sultanate, which is descended from the Bugis.

“The Royal Court feels an investigation and a legal case be brought against Dr Mahathir under the Sedition Act 1948 or under any other relevant laws.”

The former prime minister’s remarks about the Bugis have been criticised by members of the community who have demanded he apologise.

An Indonesian Bugis association had demanded Dr Mahathir apologise or it would stage a protest outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Bugis are an ethic group that originates from the Sulawesi islands in Indonesia. Large sections of the Malaysian Muslim community are of Bugis descendents.

In his tirade against Prime Minister Najib Razak at the rally, Dr Mahathir, had allegedly said Najib’s ancestors were “Bugis pirates”.

Najib has in the past spoken proudly of his family’s Bugis ancestry.

The Selangor Royal Court today said a video clip of the speech clearly showed Dr Mahathir had vilified and lumped the Bugis community together with pirates, criminals and robbers.

“History shows the Selangor sultanate who are descended from the Bugis were made up of warriors who fought for Islam and protected the peace in the Malay archipelago,” the Royal Court said. 

“As a former prime minister who led the country for 22 years, Dr Mahathir should be more careful when coming out with statements and be more informed of the history of the Bugis.”

The sultan of Selangor reminded politicians not to use racial and ethnic ancestry issues as political capital as it could threaten harmony and unity, Hanafisah said. – November 2, 2017.