KUALA LUMPUR: Political leaders in Malaysia must uphold proper conduct and exercise caution when making public statements, the country’s King has warned.
Sultan Ibrahim decreed that politicians must refrain from provoking sensitive issues, especially ahead of elections. He warned that disputes over matters relating to the royalty, race, and religion risk arousing public anger.
“Do not let one bad deed spoil the whole endeavor,” Sultan Ibrahim said, quoting a traditional Malay proverb, Jangan kerana nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga.
The King was speaking during his royal address this morning at Istana Negara during an investiture ceremony held in conjunction with his official birthday celebrations. The Queen of Malaysia, Raja Zarith Sofiah, was also in attendance.
Sultan Ibrahim added that freedom of speech on social media should not be weaponised to spread slander and hatred. He noted that the media landscape has become increasingly complicated due to the misuse of artificial intelligence to generate fake news.
The King also expressed personal disappointment that his own image had been used in deepfake videos and fabricated content designed to mislead the public.
Turning to national identity, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong stated that the Rukun Negara is a pledge for all citizens to restore unity and strengthen social harmony across diverse communities.
“Therefore, I urge all to uphold every principle of the Rukun Negara and to practice it as a guiding framework in daily life,” he said.
“Any Malaysian who refuses to adhere to these principles, I advise, is not worthy of being called a Malaysian citizen.”
Following the address, Malaysia’s federal court judge Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh headed the list of 144 recipients of royal awards and honors. Wan Ahmad Farid, 63, was the sole recipient of the Darjah Seri Setia Mahkota (SSM), which carries the prestigious title of “Tun”.
National track cycling champion Datuk Azizulhasni Awang was also conferred the Darjah Bakti (DB), the country’s highest honor for outstanding global contributions to sport. The Olympian becomes only the third Malaysian athlete to receive the award, joining badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei (honoured in 2021) and former squash queen Datuk Nicol David (2024).
Main image: Istana Negara Malaysia (Sultan Ibrahim/Facebook)
