Anti-ICERD rally ‘no longer relevant but should go on’

Sheridan Mahavera Sheridan Mahavera Updated 7 years ago · Published on 5 Dec 2018 7:00AM · 8 Comments

Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin suggests that the anti-ICERD rally be renamed as 'Muslim survival' and ask what direction the community should be heading towards. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 5, 2018.

SATURDAY’S rally to oppose a global human rights treaty is no longer relevant, said Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin, but the Perlis mufti supported the right of its organisers to go ahead with the gathering.

Asri stood by an earlier Facebook post that the rally should be renamed “Muslim survival” so that it could deal with issues beyond the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

He is the latest top official in the country’s powerful religious bureaucracy to have voiced his opinion on the rally. The muftis of Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Negri Sembilan earlier said the gathering should be cancelled as Putrajaya has decided not to ratify the treaty.

The muftis are also concerned with the rally’s timing, coming on the heels of the riots over the relocation of a Hindu temple in Selangor that had caused unease among Malaysians.

Asri said the Pakatan Harapan government should allow the rally to go ahead as the current ministers have, in the past, campaigned for greater freedom of speech and assembly.

“As I mentioned before in my Facebook post, ICERD is already not being ratified, so it’s not an issue. But it’s a free country. Many politicians in the current government fought for the freedom of assembly,” Asri told The Malaysian Insight.  

On Sunday, Asri said on Facebook it was no longer relevant to hold the rally to oppose ICERD as the government said it would not ratify the treaty.

In an earlier post on November 27, however, Asri urged the organisers to change the rally from one opposing ICERD to an assembly on the survival of Muslims.

On what he meant by the term survival of the Muslim community, Asri told The Malaysian Insight: “Survival is not necessary you fight with others. Survival means what is the direction for Malays and Muslims in this country when they have all these problems.

PAS and Umno supporters holding placards written with anti-ICERD slogans during the Himpunan Perpaduan Ummah at Kg Gajah in Pasir Salak, Perak, last month. The parties are seizing on the issue as a means of reviving their political fortunes. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 5, 2018.

“So if it’s a peaceful rally and people want to manifest their feelings peacefully, we should allow it.

“So long as its participants do not instigate racial and religious tensions, if they want to express their feelings and talk about the future, it should be ok.”

The rally was first mooted to oppose the government’s plans to ratify ICERD. After Putrajaya cancelled those plans, its organisers, a collection of Malay and Muslim rights groups said they will turn it into a gathering to celebrate the decision.

Opposition parties Umno and PAS support the rally as they see the ICERD issue as a way to revive their flagging political fortunes by pushing for a return of racial and religious politics.

For his part, Asri, who has the biggest social media following among Muslim religious officials in the country, said Malaysia need not ratify ICERD.

“ICERD’s contents are, in principle, good but in the Malaysian context, ICERD’s contents have been carried out in Malaysia.”  

Asri then compared Malaysia’s record of inter-communal relations with that of China and India, two countries which have signed ICERD.

“India and China have signed on to ICERD but how have they treated their ethnic minorities?”

India’s BJP ruling party has allegedly ignored the persecution of its minority Muslims while China’s Communist government has repeatedly violated human rights norms in its treatment of ethnic Uighur and Christian groups.   

“Malaysia has never signed but its record is much better than India, China and many other countries in the way it treats its ethnic minorities,” he added. – December 5, 2018.

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Comments

  • "Anti-ICERD rally is no longer relevant but should go on', what kind of 'silly and wasteful' advice is this? To go for the rally, you need transport, time which can be used for other more important work in the house, with the family, friends etc. During the BERSIH rallys, the biggest problem for very senor citizens like me was the lack of toilets.

    Posted 7 years ago by Shaikh karim · Reply

  • The siege mentality over your religion is equally irrelevant. The rally is a waste of time and money.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Lebai retard. If it's not relevant then why waste time to go on? Muslim survival? All other Muslim majority nations except Brunei and Malaysia ratified ICERD won't survive?

    Posted 7 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • Moron, freedom of speech doesn't mean creating a conflict to an unnecessary issue. If anyone uses such freedom, he/she is deemed a terrorist.

    Posted 7 years ago by Awang Bilis · Reply

  • The devil disciple playing his charade as a saint and a devil at the same time. He is still devilish in instigating the mayhem. He should be warned that his fb speeches is condoning unrest like what has been told to the Indong guy on his irresponsible remarks by the old man. Trying to be a Mullah now and thinking that with the Education Minister as his lieutenant will help to spread the wahabism.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Malay islam crook asri speaks Rally for Muslim Survival Asri ask urself honestly are Muslims or Malay or Islam SUFFERING IN MALAYSIA. Be Ashamed of urself when u make a Statement . We Non Malay are Suffering not the Malays. ALL MALAYSIAN COFFERS LOOTED BY MALAY ISLAM WHO HAVE BEEN LEADING MSIA FOR 61 YEARS WE NON MUSLIM PAY HIGH TAX PAY THE DEBTS CREATED
    BY MALAY ISLAM Asri pls go back to School to study Economics Use ur brains think wisely who shld rally malay or non malay

    Posted 7 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • Freedom of Speech means FEEL FREE TO SPEAK IF UR SPEECH BENEFIT ALL MALAYSIANS . Asri pls study english as well so u can understand what a non malay is saying in english

    Posted 7 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • BERSIH RALLY WAS FOR FAIR & CLEAN ELECTIONS Nothing more nothing less

    Posted 7 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply