AS the government of a multiracial country, Putrajaya has an obligation to sign the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), said civil society groups.

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chairman Razali Ismail said the organisation was fully supportive of the ICERD and would push the government to sign it. 

“This is not the first time the government has hesitated over this and other issues,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“We understand there are different pockets of leadership in the government who do not want it (ICERD).

“But eventually we will sign it.”

Earlier, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the ICERD was a Freemason plot to destroy religion, race and Malaysia.

He called on god-fearing Malaysians to unite and oppose the anti-discrimination treaty, which he said was neither religious nor humane.

Malaysia and Brunei are reported to be the only countries among the 57 member nations of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) yet to ratify the treaty.

Razali said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad must hold a dialogue on the topic with the people.

“We are a multiracial society and we understand the obligation to sign it. As a multiracial society we cannot be seen to be supportive of racial discrimination.

“We have to show some understanding of what ICERD is all about.”

Lawyers for Liberty adviser N. Surendran said the government must not backtrack on the matter.

“Dr Mahathir committed to it at the United Nations. Even Israel has ratified it. If we can’t ratify an anti-racism treat, where is our moral authority to criticise Zionist oppression of the Palestinians on the world stage?”

Surendran said the government must be bold and provide moral leadership.

“They must not give in to the false arguments presented by Umno, PAS and right wing groups.

“Any concern regarding Article 153 can be dealt with by making a reservation,” he said.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang questioned Hadi’s motives for rejecting the ICERD when it had been ratified by countries representing 99% of the 1.9 billion Muslims in the world, including  like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, UAB, Algeria, Pakistan, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

“Is there a suggestion that somehow the 99% the world’s 1.9 billion Muslims, who live in 55 of the 57 OIC countries, have been misled and are not as Muslim as Hadi would want them to be?

“If ratification of ICERD means condemning Muslims to a life of injustice and oppression, can Hadi explain why 48 of 50 countries where Muslims make up the majority of the population have ratified ICERD?”

Former National Unity Consultative Council secretariat Dr Denison Jayasooria said it would be best for the government to establish a special committee in charge of the ratification plan .

“It should have representatives from the government, political parties, academia, civil society and private sector to restudy the issues and provide the space for all views to be heard.

“They might have to receive feedback from different countries as well as the UN for expert opinion.

“But the government must promise to release the report. There must be a public assurance that all views will be heard and taken seriously.” – November 22, 2018.