The warning by Minister Gobind Singh Deo that police inaction in cases involving religion could threaten national stability should be taken seriously by every Malaysian who values peace and harmony in our multi-racial society.
Yet the conduct of the Home Minister, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, raises serious and disturbing questions about whether the government itself truly believes in the principles it publicly proclaims.
It is deeply alarming that the Home Minister — the very person responsible for overseeing the police and internal security — has reportedly met with a well-known hate preacher who has been the subject of hundreds of police reports over the years for inflammatory and statements that have repeatedly stirred hostility between Malaysia’s religious and ethnic communities. This individual has long built a reputation for spreading divisive rhetoric and provoking tensions among Malaysians of different faiths, and has been emboldened by the recent “endorsement” by Saifuddin.
For years, Malaysians have been told that provocative statements touching on race and religion will be dealt with firmly under the law. Even the Sultan Perak last year reminded authorities and Malaysians on the need to maintain peaceful co-existence. Yet when it comes to certain individuals, the law appears to move at a glacial pace — if at all.
The question Malaysians are entitled to ask is simple: why does someone with such a long record of incitement and hate speech appear to enjoy protection from prosecutionand a Madani Minister?
The Home Minister’s meeting with such a figure sends an extremely troubling message to the public. Instead of demonstrating zero tolerance toward those who sow hatred and division, the government appears willing to grant them legitimacy and access at the highest levels of authority.
These contradictions expose a glaring hypocrisy within the so-called “Madani” government. While Gobind rightly warn about the dangers of religious extremism and inflammatory rhetoric, the Home Minister, Saifuddin NasutionIsmail, appears willing to meet and legitimise a figure widely known for spreading division and hostility among Malaysia’s communities.
In light of this troubling episode, the leadership of the DAP must demand an immediate explanation from the Home Minister. If the government is truly committed to unity and the rule of law, it cannot appear to extend legitimacy or protection to individuals accused of promoting hatred and division.
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy
President
Malaysian Advancement Party
12.3.2026