PUTRAJAYA should not have rushed to announce plans to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) without first engaging stakeholders, a lawyer told a forum today.

Lukman Sheriff, founder of civil society organisation Malaysian Lawyers’ Circle, said while he supports ICERD, he questions the government’s haste to say the treaty, as well as other conventions, would be signed in the first quarter of next year.

“It involves a lot of stakeholders. A lot of people disagreed when it was announced that ICERD would be ratified in the first quarter (of next year), without discussions with the public, without discussions with the rulers,” he said at the Malaysia Freedom Summit, referring to sultans and raja, who are the custodians of Islam in their respective states.

Opposition to the ratification of ICERD stems from concern that it would affect the special position of Malays and Islam, which is protected by the federal constitution.

“There should have been a discussion as it involves a lot of stakeholders. But there was none,” Lukman told the forum, held in the Parliament building.

Putrajaya’s intention to ratify the treaty was announced in late October by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of national unity P. Waytha Moorthy.

After protests were mounted by Malay-Muslim groups, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it is impossible to accede to ICERD as doing so requires the constitution to be amended, which calls for the support of two-thirds of MPs, something that is unlikely to happen.

On November 23, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Malaysia will no longer ratify ICERD.

Lukman said stakeholder engagement should have preceded any move to ratify the treaty, covering matters relating to Malay reserve land – also extending to native customary rights land in Sabah and Sarawak – as well as Malay army regiment and Orang Asli rights.

He added that ratification should be done only when a country’s citizens are ready and understand that the move serves to better the nation. – December 1, 2018.