KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Nurul Izzah Anwar today warned that Malaysia may end up in the Arabic dark ages before Islam, claiming that the alleged stoking of racial sentiments by organisers of the Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu goes against the tenets of the religion.

The PKR vice-president said the authorities must act on any effort to racialise events, pointing to posters linked to the September 16 rally that appear to invite violence on one racial group by another.

“The police must act to stem any efforts to racialise events — as this is clearly an effort to further divide Malaysia along racial lines,” she said in a statement.

“It bears reminding that in Islam, racial equality is crucial.

“It bears reminding that in the Prophet Muhammad’s last sermon, the Prophet SAW said, ‘All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action’,” the Lembah Pantai MP added.

Gabungan NGO-NGO Malaysia chairman Datuk Jamal Md Yunos was quoted today by Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia as saying that the September 16 rally was a result of the “many slogans insulting the Malay leadership” during the 34-hour Bersih 4 rally held in the run-up to the Merdeka Day celebrations.

The Bersih 4 rally has been branded by its critics as a demonstration dominated by the Chinese to challenge the political power of the Malays.

The August 29 to 30 rally was also slammed by Umno and PAS leaders after photos circulated on social media of alleged Bersih 4 participants stepping on a superimposed image of Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak hugging PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

Nurul Izzah today said “crude insults” against any political leaders such as the photo stomping incident is unacceptable, but stressed that social harmony among Malaysians must take priority.

“I strongly urge the police to take stern actions against the organisers of this rally for stoking racial sentiments, even if this means going against their political masters. The police force has the people’s support — in pursuit of professionalism, maintaining social harmony and protecting Malaysians’ in line with rights enshrined under the Federal Constitution.

“This rally will put Malaysia on a slippery slope to the downfall of the very fabric of our society— if allowed, devoid of any rationality and common sense — to continue. We must reject the loss of a moral compass and the eventual racial jingoism in its wake to dominate rational thinking, common decency and sense,” she said.