In a Facebook posting, Kadir said religion, race and royalty are all elements embodied in the Federal Constitution.

In a multi-religious and multiracial country like Malaysia, discussions on religion and race are “commonplace”, he said.

“We also have the most number of sultans and rajas (compared to) any country in the world. If having many religions, races and monarchs (was) ‘sensitive’, logically Malaysia wouldn’t or shouldn’t have existed.

“So there’s nothing sensitive about the 3Rs of religion, race and the royalty. These elements are entrenched in our constitution,” he said, adding that the law of the land has long provided appropriate rights and protection for these three components of Malaysian life.

However, Kadir maintained that provoking issues sensitive to religion, race and royalty was another thing altogether, with laws already in place to punish those who do so.

Everyone who commits a criminal offence must be subjected to the “full brunt” of the law, he said, even if they are members of the royal family.

“After all, justice, as we are often told, is blind. It favours not the kings nor the paupers.”

He also said there is “nothing unlawful or sensitive” about reporting, commenting or discussing transgressions by the Rulers or members of the royal family.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said there were boundaries when it came to media freedom, particularly on sensitive topics concerning the 3Rs.

Anwar had repeatedly said that action would be taken against anyone playing up sensitive 3R issues, including those from political parties.

Human rights group Pusat Komas has urged Putrajaya to refine the definition of 3R offences, preferably through the setting up of a harmony and reconciliation commission.