PETALING JAYA: The Sultan of Selangor is unhappy with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remarks against the Bugis community.

In a statement, Selangor Royal Court secretary Hanafisah Jais said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had met with the royal council on Thursday (Nov 2) and viewed the former premier's statement very seriously.

The Royal Court said that a sedition probe into the remarks which labelled Bugis as pirates was warranted.

Dr Mahathir, during the Himpunan Sayangi Malaysia - Hapuskan Kleptokrasi rally on Oct 14, had allegedly said that Malaysia had a leader who descended from "Bugis pirates".

Hanafisah said the members of the Selangor Royal Court viewed such remarks as extreme and that they could have triggered hateful feelings and prejudice against the Bugis community.

She added that the remarks could have provoked violence against the community.

"The remarks could have inadvertently insulted the genealogy and ancestry of the Selangor sultanate who have Bugis ancestry.

"History has proven that the Selangor sultanate came from Bugis ancestors, who were warriors and had fought and defended the religion and peace across the Malay archipelago.

"Dr Mahathir as a former premier who had governed the country for the past 22 years should have been more cautious about his remarks," said the statement.

It also said that Dr Mahathir should have been more knowledgeable about historical facts of the Bugis community.

Sultan Sharafuddin also reminded all parties, especially politicians, to refrain from using racial and ancestry issues as a political tool as it could threaten the harmony and unity of the country.