MELAKA (BERNAMA) - Malays appear to be caught up in a race to embarrass one another and are obsessed with a blame game, which only reflects poorly on themselves, Deputy Malaysian King, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, said on Friday (Dec 7).

He said Malaysia's political culture has created a new obsession that is of a racist nature and promotes a thinking that prioritises loyalty to a group rather than accepting the importance of the truth, influencing minds to give more importance to group than the survival of the ummah (Muslim) in general.

Sultan Nazrin said Malays nowadays appear to be increasingly weak because they had lost the spirit of ukhuwah (brotherhood), were weak in character, and were in a race for materialistic gain and becoming increasingly intoxicated in the competition for power.

"Islam has built a Malay race that is disciplined, trustworthy, honest, noble and sincere; Islam has united the Malays by building a solid brotherhood so much so that the Malays were strongly united and emerged as a strong race," said Sultan Nazrin.

However, today, the Malays seem to be getting weaker, he added.

Sultan Nazrin made the observations in a speech at the appointment of members of the Melaka Islamic Council (MAIM) and the Melaka Council of Syariah Court Judges and Registrars in Bandar Hilir in Melaka on Friday.

Also present were the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka, Tun Dr Mohd Khalil Yaakob, and Melaka Chief Minister Adly Zahari.