Sultan Nazrin: Accept the e truth, don’t follow blindly
In their pursuit for power and materialistic wealth, the Malays are embarrassing each other, says the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
MELAKA: The Malays appear to be caught up with embarrassing one another and obsessed with the blame game, says Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
Sultan Nazrin said the nation’s political culture had created a new obsession; that one of a racist nature, which prioritised loyalty to a group than accepting the truth.
Sultan Nazrin said the Malays now appeared to be weak because they had lost the spirit of ukhuwah (brotherhood). They were weak in character and preferred to pursue materialistic gains and were power crazy.
“Islam united the Malays by building a solid brotherhood so much so the Malays... emerged as a strong race. But today, they are getting weaker,” he added.
Sultan Nazrin said this at the Melaka Islamic Council ( Maim) and the Melaka Council of Syariah Court Judges and Registrars appointment in Bandar Hilir yesterday.
Referring to a writing by Islamic scholar Ibnu Khaldun, Sultan Nazrin said the collapse of Islamic civilisation and government in North Africa and Andalusia was due to political rift and power struggle.
He said Ibnu Khaldun witnessed how the government did everything and anything to ensure it remained in power, including making a tool of the Islamic scholars.
“However, because they (the scholars) succumbed to the temptations of material wealth, position and title, some changed and allowed themselves to be used for the personal interests of certain leaders.”
Sultan Nazrin said scholars played an important role in helping the government to be fair and just, based on the law known as the established custom during the era of the Malay sultanate.
He said when his late father, the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, visited Melaka in 1990, he said that there were black marks in the history of the Melaka Malay Sultanate that should serve as a lesson for all. He said besides being proud of Melaka’s success, Sultan Azlan Shah reminded the people to maintain unity because misunderstanding and power struggle were among factors that led to the collapse of the Melaka Sultanate.
“His words, spoken more than 28 years ago, are reminders that remain alive, and should be pondered upon so that Muslims do not lose what they have and avoid a situation where win or lose, nobody gains,” the sultan added.