Avoid hate speech, foster mutual respect among races - Loke

SHAH ALAM - Malaysians must avoid hate speech and continue to cultivate mutual respect among people of different races and religions to ensure the country’s harmony remains intact.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said people should view one another as fellow human beings regardless of background, religion or existing differences.

“We must avoid hate speech and treat each other as human beings.

“We do not choose our race and we are born as we are. Regardless of background or differences, we must treat others without discrimination,” he said during the “Table for Unity: Ramadan in Diversity” programme held at the Karangkraf Complex, here, on Friday.

The programme, organised by Komuniti Mualaf Baharu (NMC) through Al Khaadem, in collaboration with Sinar Harian, Sinar Daily and Karya Bestari, served as a platform for discussions on unity and national values.

Also invited as a panellist was Al-Khaadem president and founder Datuk Dr Hussain Yee.

Loke said society must continue nurturing respect for the differences that exist within the community.

He added that differences in values, religion and practices should not divide the people but instead be celebrated as diversity that strengthens the nation.

“There are many similarities within society that we can celebrate together. They can form the basis of strong unity.

“In daily life, there are actually many stories of unity happening around us, but they are often drowned out by the noise on social media, including a few isolated cases or incidents that overshadow the country’s unity stories,” he said.

He added that efforts to foster unity should be strengthened by highlighting more positive stories to the public.

“I think what we need to do is celebrate more unity and share more positive stories with society,” he said.