THE rally against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination this Saturday is not special enough to warrant a public holiday, a political analyst said.

International Islamic University political science lecturer Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said even though it was not against the law to do so, declaring a public holiday to encourage people to attend the rally was inappropriate.

“To protest is a right, but not a privilege that warrants a public holiday.

“Even though it is allowed by law, giving people a holiday for attending a protest organised by political parties is strange,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The Kelantan government has declared Sunday a state holiday in a bid to boost attendance for the thanksgiving rally in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday is a working day in the east coast state controlled by PAS.

Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob said this was to give Kelantan folk the chance to express their love for the country and send a message on the importance of maintaining harmony in a multiracial country.

Although the rally is organised by civil society group Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah), opposition parties PAS and Umno have announced their participation.

Even though the government has announced that it will not ratify the UN convention, the two parties and Malay rights groups have insisted that the rally must go on.

The mass protest will be held on Jalan Raja, opposite the Sultan Abdul Samad building and Dataran Merdeka from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday. – December 5, 2018.