PROMINENT Bersatu leader Rais Yatim has hinted that work to ratify the Rome Statute is not over, saying it is up to the 19,000 lawyers of the Malaysian Bar to explain this issue to those who may not have constitutional literacy.  

He also urged the four academicians who advised the Conference of Rulers to oppose the treaty, to come forward and publicly state their arguments.

“I think we should look at the situation positively on how to counter them.

“Let us beseech upon them, ‘Tell us what you told the sultans, so we can engage in a positive manner’,” Rais told a Malaysian Bar forum on Putrajaya’s withdrawal from ratifying the statute.

Following opposition from the Conference of Rulers, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia had until June to withdraw from the treaty and would do so by then.

However, the option to ratify it later remains open.

Speaking at the forum were Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, constitutional expert Gurdial Singh Nijar and Bar Council member Surendra Ananth. 

Rais was referring to the four professors who reportedly convinced the Conference of Rulers to reject the Rome Statute.

“If the four eminent professors did not go around the country and plead with the royals, saying the Rome (Statute) is not with us, nothing would have happened.

“We shall not name these four. We must be content with ourselves that our arguments may be faulty, they (rulers) are apprehensive,” he said.

The Negri Sembilan Bersatu chief urged the Bar to take its 19,000 lawyers to the small pekan (small towns) nationwide.

“They can hold ceramah to elucidate that the Rome Statute does not touch the rights of the rulers,” he said.

Rais also urged “cerdik” (clever) academicians not to use their skills to “scare the rulers”.

“The inculcation must be within the ambit of reality and not supposed situation.”

Addressing the four scholars that advised the rulers, Rais said: “Let it be known what you said, otherwise you are not honest professors or lawyers.” 

Rais also pointed out that Putrajaya was only prevented from ratifying the statute by “confusion” caused by certain interests, pointing to a statement by the prime minister on April 5. 

Dr Mahathir then said: “There seems to be a lot of confusion about the Rome Statute, so we will not accede. This is not because we are against it, but because of the political confusion about what it entails, caused by people with vested interests.”

Meanwhile, Rais told reporters after that forum that he knows the identity of the four academicians. 

“As I was a former president of UIA (International Islamic University Malaysia), I have some connections with the parties involved. God willing, I will propose and express our views today (to get them to come forward),” he said.

Rais added that he would inform the attorney-general and Bar president Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor of possible discussions with the four. – May 4, 2019.