TANJUNG MALIM: The National Unity Ministry is prepared to collaborate on specific legislation concerning issues related to race, religion, and royalty (3R), says K. Saraswathy.
The Deputy National Unity Minister said that the ministry is open to sharing relevant information or data related to these issues that could threaten racial harmony.
"We are ready to provide insights and commentary, particularly on information or data concerning the 3R issues, if needed.
"The legislation’s enforcement would fall under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry," she said after inaugurating the 2024 International Conference on Corpus Research (ICRC 2024) at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) on Wednesday (July 24) night.
On May 4, Mujibu Abd Muis, chair of the Malay Rulers Institution at Universiti Teknologi Mara, suggested in a statement to Bernama that individuals who touch upon 3R issues should face strict penalties, as these matters are grave and could jeopardise public harmony and unity.
Saraswathy also emphasised that the prosecution of such cases should not be viewed as a political weapon, but as necessary actions to ensure national stability and respect for the royal institution.
Meanwhile, she noted that 3R issues often arise and become a topic of conversation during election seasons.
"Sentiment regarding 3R issues is seasonal. Based on our records, these issues tend to increase slightly during elections and then drop once it’s over," she said.
Commenting on ICRC 2024, she said linguistic diversity, particularly ethnic languages, is a national heritage that must be preserved to ensure it is passed down to future generations.
"Thus, organising language-related programmes is a proactive step to elevate languages as well as our traditional, artistic, and cultural elements.
"Language acts as a unifying agent among races and ethnic groups. When communities understand the languages used by others, it promotes a deeper mutual understanding," she said. - Bernama
