Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah has defended Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia , saying that the paper is not racist but instead embodies the spirit of 1Malaysia.

He said those who branded the paper as being racist have an agenda to derail Malaysia's social contract.

"The Utusan Group and its main publication, Utusan Malaysia , is now branded as racist; (it is) intentionally played up by those who are put off by it and those who have an agenda to eliminate the social contract agreed upon by our forebearers in formulating the main policies that form an independent nation," the Perak ruler said.