Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said the supporters had intentionally used this method to appeal to Muslim sentiments, thus diverting people’s attention from their leaders’ corruption issues.

“We (Pakatan Harapan) took over the administration six months ago and there is no better way for this group to rise up immediately except through these racial and religious issues.

“It is very easy to stoke sentiments through such talk.

“So, we have to be knowledgeable and careful,” he said in his speech at the Sabah Amanah convention here today.

He said Malaysians should be aware of spillover effects of stoking such sentiments, as had been experienced by other Muslim countries, including Syria, Libya, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Mohamad said he was raising this subject to make people realise that the recent incident over the relocation of a temple in Selangor had nothing to do with racial issues and the matter could be resolved amicably but there were people who took advantage of the situation to incite racial sentiments.

He expressed hope that Pakatan Harapan leaders would be transparent and honest in their dealings to win over the hearts of people at the grassroot level.

Mohamad also reminded Pakatan Harapan member parties not to be content with the GE14 victory but to work together and continue to remain united.