PUTRAJAYA will not be ratifying the International Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), said the Prime Minister’s Department today.
The statement added that the government will continue to defend the federal constitution “which contains the social contract agreed upon by all races during the formation of this nation.”
There have been strong objections, largely from the Malay groups and political parties, over the proposed ratification of the convention over fears that it would erode Malay privileges and Bumiputera rights, as well as destroy the royal institution and weaken the sanctity of Islam.
ICERD has become a hotly debated issue since Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waytha Moorthy said it would be one of six human rights treaties the government is hoping to ratify by the first quarter of 2019.
Malay rights groups, as well as Umno and PAS, who are against the UN convention, are planning to hold a massive street protest in Kuala Lumpur on December 8.
Earlier this week, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said the government should suspend the plan to endorse the ICERD to avoid public tensions.
“Calls to postpone ratification does not mean we dispute the spirit of equality. I have also called for it to be deferred because no matter how much we try to explain the matter, it still needs international ratification.
“And as such, to avoid any possibilities of tensions, I stress that we need to consider the rakyat’s worries and review the matter,” he had said.
Civil society groups meanwhile welcomed the move to ratify the convention, saying that it was necessary in a multiracial country like Malaysia.
Malaysia is one of only 14 countries, including Myanmar, North Korea and Brunei, which have yet to ratify the convention. – November 23, 2018.
Comments
Posted 5 years ago by Dhamiri Petra · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Peter Hong · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Peter Hong · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Awang Bilis · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Gaik Cheng Khoo · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Kenneth Tan · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Kenneth Tan · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by TC BOY · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by TC BOY · Reply