Angry with Dr Mahathir’s Bugis ‘pirates’ remarks, Selangor Sultan wants former PM probed for sedition

KUALA LUMPUR — The Sultan of Selangor on Thursday (Nov 2) hit out at former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad for calling Bugis descendants “pirates” and said the opposition leader should be investigated for sedition.

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said Dr Mahathir had appeared to incite Malaysians to hate, degrade and view the Bugis community with contempt when he allegedly made those remarks at an anti-kleptocracy rally in Selangor last month.

As such, he said after a meeting with the Selangor Royal Council, they opined that Dr Mahathir’s speech warranted an investigation under the Sedition Act and that legal action should be taken against him.

“The Selangor Royal Council views (Dr Mahathir’s) speech as crossing the line and could cause hatred and discrimination against the Bugis community to the point of inciting chaos,” said the Ruler in a statement to the media via the council’s secretary Hanafisah Jais.

“The verbal attacks have indirectly demeaned the history and heritage of the Selangor sultanate, which is descended from the Bugis lineage.”

The Bugis community is a Malay sub-ethnic group that originates from the Sulawesi islands in Indonesia. Large sections of the Muslim community in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are of Bugis descent.

During the rally on Oct 14, Dr Mahathir had allegedly referenced Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ancestry when he made the Bugis remarks. Mr Najib, has in the past, spoken proudly of his family’s Bugis ancestry.

“Maybe he can trace his ancestry to Bugis pirates. Somehow, he lost his way and came to Malaysia. Go home to Bugis (Sulawesi)!” Dr Mahathir had said.

His remarks caused an uproar among the Bugis community, with one group protesting outside Dr Mahathir's Perdana Leadership Foundation office in Putrajaya on Oct 18.

A leader from the opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) also called for the former premier to be arrrested for sedition, while an Indonesian Bugis association had demanded an apology from Dr Mahathir.

The former premier has since explained that his comments were only directed at “crooks who stole money”.

Dr Mahathir has been Mr Najib’s chief critic, accusing the premier of corruption following the news of RM2.6 billion (S$838 million) being deposited into the premier’s private accounts, as well as of financial irregularities in state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

He joined hands with the opposition after forming the bumiputra-centric Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) last year and has been going around the country in a campaign to oust Mr Najib.

Sultan Sharafuddin said on Thursday that a video clip of Dr Mahathir’s speech clearly showed the leader had vilified and lumped the Bugis community together with pirates, criminals and robbers.

“History shows the Selangor Sultanate who are descended from the Bugis were made up of warriors who fought for Islam and protected the peace in the Malay archipelago,” he said.

“As a former prime minister who led the country for 22 years, Dr Mahathir should be more careful when coming out with statements and be more informed of the history of the Bugis.”

The Selangor Sultan also reminded all parties, especially politicians, to refrain from using race and ancestry as a tool to garner support. AGENCIES