{
  "id": 16417820,
  "title": "Selangor Sultan fed up with divisive politics, urges leaders to prioritise people and unity",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/selangor-sultan-fed-up-with-divisive-politics-urges-leaders-to",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-25T02:54:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/10/1563000/selangor-sultan-fed-divisive-politics-urges-leaders-prioritise-people"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Selangor's Sultan, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has voiced his discontent with excessive political posturing, urging leaders to prioritize the well-being of the people and maintain unity. In an interview marking the 25th anniversary of his rule, he cautioned against political tactics that exploit race and religion or disrupt the monarchy's involvement in political disputes. Sultan Sharafuddin emphasized that the rakyat, or citizens, share his frustration. He implored political figures in Selangor to prioritize public service, foster economic growth, and uphold unity to maintain the state's prominent position in the country. While acknowledging the right of politicians to debate policies and present differing viewpoints, he stressed that politics should never undermine racial harmony or religious understanding. He cautioned against inflammatory remarks that could hurt others and advised politicians to think before speaking and remain mindful of their actions. Sultan Sharafuddin highlighted Selangor's strength in its diverse population and warned that irresponsible statements on social media could exacerbate tensions among communities. He emphasized that leadership is not solely measured by what one says, but by the societal impact of those words. The Sultan attributed Selangor's success to its diversity, stability, and inclusiveness, attributing its appeal to investors and young people to these qualities. He urged political leaders across parties to prioritize the interests of the people over political concerns, uphold the Federal Constitution, respect Islam's status as the state religion, and maintain the spirit of moderation that has long been a foundation of Selangor.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has expressed frustration with excessive and unproductive politicking, saying political leaders should focus on serving the people and preserving unity.",
  "key_points": [
    "Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah criticizes divisive politics in Selangor",
    "He urges leaders to prioritize people, unity, and economic growth",
    "Sultan emphasizes maintaining racial harmony and religious understanding"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Sultan’s call for moderation signals a push to protect Selangor’s economic appeal and social stability from the destabilizing effects of inflammatory political rhetoric and racial exploitation.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}