THE Pakatan Harapan government needs to be firmer in defending its stand so that it is not easily pushed into making flip-flops decisions, analysts said after Putrajaya’s announcement that it was withdrawing from ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

They said the government must be “prepared to defend” its stand and not bow down to “manufactured pressures”.

“The PH administration flip-flops because it is not firm in defending its stand. It is afraid it will only survive one term.

“The government should be firm and explain the true matter of things and be prepared to defend them. However, the PH government is still weak in this matter,” said Awang Azman Awang Pawi, an associate professor at Universiti Malaya’s Socio-cultural Department.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government’s withdrawal from ratifying the Rome Statute was not because the government was against the treaty, but due to political confusion about what it entails, caused by “people with vested interests”.

Putrajaya had announced last month it was joining the world’s only permanent war crimes tribunal. The Statute of Rome is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court. 

“Pakatan has to contend with pressure from an opposition that carries the banner of Malay rights and Islam,” added Awang Azman.

“At the same time, there is dissatisfaction on the part of the royals,” he said, referring to objections raised by the Johor palace on the government’s original decision to ratify the statute.

Former Bar president and activist Ambiga Sreenevasan, meanwhile, took to Twitter to express her disappointment with the government’s announcement today.

“Very very disappointing and unnecessary move. What a shame. And an embarassment. This government has the right ideas but too many self-serving politicians make it difficult to bring real change,” she tweeted.

Indeed. Very very disappointing and unnecessary move.What a shame. And an embarrassment. This government has the right ideas but too many self serving politicians make it difficult to bring real change. https://t.co/fq4AHuNNL9

— Ambiga Sreenevasan (@Ambiga_S) April 5, 2019

The Johor sultan and crown prince had said that by signing the treaty, the government would be undermining the position of Malay rulers.

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar went as far as to say that any party that infringes on the rights and powers of a ruler or state government was breaking the law, and can be considered traitors.

“What this means is that, the pressure is not just voiced by the opposition, but the palace as well. The fact is the PH government is experiencing trouble communicating its aspirations,” said Awang Azman.

He also said that the government should have deliberated at length on issues such as the Rome Statute, as well as the earlier scrapped ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), instead of attempting to rush them through.

“The result of this is that the prejudices of the Malays and the palace were brought to the surface.”

Today, Dr Mahathir also addressed concerns raised by Malay rulers over the treaty, saying the treaty “will not dispose our king”.

He added that the issue was being used as a political tool for some to mislead the people into believing that Malay rights would be at risk, and an attempt to get royals involved.

For International Islamic University political science lecturer Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar, it was clear that some quarters were trying to create an atmosphere of fear.

“Obviously, some segments of society are trying to create an atmosphere of fear that is non-existent by saying that this contradicts our sovereignty,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

He added that the crimes covered under the Rome Statute are very specific, and that it was inconceivable that Malaysia would ever commit such crimes.

“It’s just part of the democratic euphoria that some people want to be champions of by invoking nationalism.

“It’s also sad that the government would bow down to such manufactured pressures,” he said.

He added it was also disappointing to watch the government retract its earlier accession to the statute.

Putrajaya had previously also made a U-turn on ratifying the ICERD following strong objections from the Malay community, factions within the PH coalition, as well as opposition parties Umno and PAS. – April 5, 2019.