No need for ICERD if people respect one another, says Shafie

Jason Santos Jason Santos Updated 7 years ago · Published on 22 Nov 2018 6:02PM · 5 Comments

Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal says there will be no need for the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination if all races respect and treat each other fairly. – The Malaysian Insight pic, November 22, 2018.

THERE will be no need for the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) if all races respect and treat each other fairly, said Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal.

“I think it is quite clear in Islam. There is a verse in the Quran that your religion is your religion and my religion is mine. So we must respect one another.

“This is why it is important for us not to have racial or religious extremism.

“When extremism happens it will look bad on them,” he said after a lunch organised by the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Micci) in Kota Kinabalu, today.

Several groups have opposed ratifying the UN convention, on fears that it will erode the special rights of Malays as guaranteed in the constitution. 

The Sabah chief minister said the government cannot stop anyone from practising their own religion as that is their right.

He also said, the state government is going all out to help and give aid to people of other religions, and not just Muslims.

On another note, he said a special state assembly sitting to be held next month will focus on reviewing several state laws.

Shafie said the state wanted to find out how Sarawak would go about imposing a sales tax on petroleum products.

Sarawak will impose a 5% sales tax on petroleum products from Januaray 1, 2019.

“We can’t do it here in Sabah. So, we need to look into several laws to have more clarity on what’s stopping us before we can proceed to the next step,” he said. – November 22, 2018.

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Comments

  • ICERD?..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • To me, it (ICERD) is a step in the right direction in order to ensure that the excesses and abuses of our past will not occur again. & that in future no community will ever be marginalised?..

      Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • No need for Article 153 too if all Malaysians are treated as equal.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Yes no need if people respected and treated everyone as equal. But the problem is Not! Not all races in this country are respected and tested as equal.. Come on Shafie, as the CM of Sabah and and a former Federal Government Minister, you should know better! Where has equality ever been practised in this country?!

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

    • ....treated...

      Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply