The king met Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, Melaka Umno chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh and DAP deputy secretary-general Liew Chin Tong during the meeting.
“I want to advise all parties to focus on spurring the rakyat towards unity, not division. I want to see the rakyat unite in harmony.
“I hope that political leaders will not take extreme positions in airing their views on religious and racial issues. This applies not only to Umno and DAP, but all parties,” he said according to his press office.
Sultan Ibrahim said politicians should serve as a bridge to connect Malaysians of diverse backgrounds by acting in a mature manner.
He added that recent developments should serve as a wake-up call on the responsibility of every layer of society to safeguard national unity.
“Unity among the people will lead to the welfare of all Malaysians. With Hari Raya just around the corner, let us forgive one another and open a new chapter,” said the king.
Separately, Akmal took to Facebook to thank the king for the meeting.
“I uphold the king’s command to look after national harmony and preserve the sanctity of Islam so that the ongoing polemics can be alleviated,” he said.
Akmal had spearheaded a public boycott of KK Mart outlets over its sale of socks bearing the word “Allah”, for which the convenience store chain had swiftly apologised.
The controversy led to KK Mart’s founder and director being charged with intentionally wounding the religious feelings of Muslims, and also prompted Sultan Ibrahim to warn “all parties against taking advantage of the matter”.
The king also granted KK Mart founder Chai Kee Kan an audience last week, where the businessman apologised for the sale of the socks.
Sultan Ibrahim said then that he did not want the issue prolonged, and warned against “inciting the rakyat” over the matter.
Akmal has remained defiant on his call for a boycott, with Malaysiakini quoting the Melaka executive councillor as saying the king had never called for the campaign to be stopped.