Foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah said this was because elements such as hate speech would lead to animosity and cause violence to erupt.

“I consider racial politics as the source of other ‘diseases’.

“If a government allows racial discrimination to occur, then there lies the problem.

“This is because racial discrimination can occur everywhere, such as in terms of the provision of laws, policies, in public institutions as well as government programmes, which are merely efforts to win elections and remain in power.”

He said this in a speech in conjunction with the webinar on the Manifestation of the Philosophy of Peaceful Co-Existence in the Digital Space, organised by the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism today.

Saifuddin said tolerance, understanding and embracing cultural and racial diversity should be the foundation in creating an environment of peaceful co-existence.

He said the wasatiyah (moderation) concept in practising one’s culture should also be applied so people can celebrate pluralism and be kind to all groups without discrimination.