PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysians must realize that politicians were stoking racial sentiments to gain support from the poor.

"We see now that discourse about race is getting increasingly heated. I raise this because of politicians in power, they tend to flaunt their wealth, loot... but then use the issue of race to attract the attention of the poor"

"To me, the overall concept must be peace and justice.

"Only through that way can we assure the majority of the poor, largely comprising Malay-Bumiputeras and others, that they will be taken care of," he said in speaking out against a siege mentality among the majority group.