Selangor Royal Council wants Mahathir probed over Bugis issue

(FMT) – The Selangor Royal Council has called for Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be investigated and punished under the Sedition Act or any other appropriate law over his remark about the Bugis.

In a statement today, Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said that, after discussions with members of the council, he viewed with utmost seriousness, anger and disappointment the speech of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman which appeared to incite the people to hate, show contempt and negatively perceive the Bugis.

“Based on the video clip of the speech which has gone viral on social media, the allegation by Tun Dr Mahathir clearly insulted and bracketed the Bugis as a people who originated from pirates, robbers and criminals.

“The members of the Selangor Royal Council believe the speech was very extreme and could incite feelings of hatred and a negative perception of the Bugis people to the extent of causing disorder.

“This allegation indirectly insulted the ancestral roots of the Selangor sultanate which was founded by the Bugis,” said the statement.

Mahathir, addressing the “Love Malaysia, End Kleptocracy” rally at Padang Timur here on Oct 14, criticised Prime Minister Najib Razak as a “descendant of Bugis pirates”.

Following criticisms by the Bugis Malay Solidarity Association of Malaysia, the former prime minister denied any intention to insult all Bugis descendants.

Sultan Sharafuddin reminded all groups, including politicians, not to play on the race and ancestral issues for political mileage as this could threaten the harmony and unity of the people.

“Tun Dr Mahathir, as a former prime minister who headed the national administration for 22 years, ought to be more careful in his statements and also should know better the facts of the Bugis people’s history,” he said.