Public needs to be clear on role of Malay rulers, says Waytha

The people need to know the role of the king and Malay rulers so that they have a better understanding of how to maintain peace and harmony in the country, National Unity and Social Wellbeing Minister P Waythamoorthy said today.

"The rakyat must be given a clear understanding of the position of the Malay rulers, which has been enshrined in the Federal Constitution, to ensure that they do not insult the institution.

"The public must understand their constitutional position, so we need to further improve outreach programmes to educate people about the constitutional provisions that give a special position to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and also the Malay rulers in the country.

"No one should raise any issue (related to the constitution) which can hurt the rulers," he told reporters after launching the Southern Zone Residents Association (Malacca and Johor) Unity Gathering 2019 in Ayer Keroh.

Also present was Malacca Chief Minister Adly Zahari.

Waythamoorthy said that people should be more cautious when using social media, and avoid postings that could affect the unity and solidarity of the country.

Earlier, in his speech, he said there was a need for neighbourhood watch associations and residents’ associations to use social media networks as a platform to disseminate information and authentic news.

"The use of social media can influence the behaviour of the community, so the dissemination of unauthorised information can cause anxiety and upset the community, which could lead to division.

"If you’re not sure, do not share (information) and the neighbourhood watch associations and residents’ associations can advise residents in their respective areas to stop spreading fake news or news that has not been verified as they may be subject to legal action," he said.

He said the neighbourhood watch associations and residents’ associations could refer to Sebenarnya.my, a portal set up by the Communications and Multimedia Commission, which functions as a one-stop centre for the public to check the veracity of news items before sharing.

There are 8,163 neighbourhood watch associations and 7,944 residents’ associations in the country.

- Bernama