Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has urged Malaysians to cool down after observing rising temperatures fanned by sentiments surrounding race, religion and royalty.

Speaking at a press conference today, he said the perception was consistent with police intelligence which found such incidents have doubled since last year.

"Data gathered by the police that was briefed to me and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad showed there is already this negative tendency (to raise issues) surrounding race, religion and royalty," said Muhyiddin after delivering his keynote address at a nation-building forum organised by Akademi Kenegaraan in Kuala Lumpur.

Muhyiddin, who warned that parties who ignored the current rising temperatures risk stoking further tensions, said this when asked for comments on the planned rally in Brickfields to protest against the introduction of Jawi khat in vernacular schools.