IPOH, Oct 12 — The spirit of race and religion will not be diminished even when students of different ethnicities, faiths, and cultures learn together under one roof, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said Malaysia's diversity is a strength that needs to be celebrated and not questioned, as it is the foundation for national unity and harmony.
"Malaysia is a country of various races, religions and cultures, and the children understand this. There are Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Orang Asli students, yet they are able to socialise as one team of Malaysian children," he said when speaking at the ‘Sumbangan Kasih Madani’ Ceremony in conjunction with Deepavali 2025 at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Poi Lam, here yesterday.
Also present were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
Anwar urged Malaysians to continue respecting and honouring the cultural diversity that exists in society.
The prime minister said Malaysia is the only country where people of different faiths come together to celebrate festivals such as Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali each year.
This, he said, symbolises the spirit of mutual respect among races, which forms the foundation of the nation's strength.
Earlier, Anwar, who is also Tambun MP, presented contributions to representatives of 15 schools involving 2,500 students in the Tambun parliamentary constituency.
