AFTER six decades of Merdeka, it’s time Malaysia do away with race- and religion-based politics. That is the only way to move forward, said Amanah vice-president Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

He said this was something Pakatan Harapan must do if the opposition coalition won the federal government.

“I suggest that we make sure that there will no longer be political parties that are race-based and religion-based.

“If we can do that, we will be able to bring a big change to Malaysia,” he said at the Electoral Reforms for GE14 forum organised by Bersih 2.0 Northern Region at the Caring Society Complex in Penang last night.

His suggestion drew applause from the 50-odd attendees at the two-hour forum, which also featured Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah and activist Karen Lai.

The political science academic said he had been fighting for multiracial parties for years. Although both his current and previous parties – Amanah and PAS ­– are open to other races, they contest on a political Islam platform.

“Amanah states that anyone can be a member. In the future, all parties that want to be registered, must make sure their membership is open to all races. 

“RoS (Registrar of Societies) must do something about it,” he said when asked to elaborate after the forum.

The Parit Buntar MP, who is known for his interfaith work and visits to churches during his PAS days, said race-based parties would be end up using race as their ideology.

“It is good to be Malay or whatever. That is not wrong. But institutionalising it and turning it into an ideology is dangerous.”

Mujahid raised the issue when he related to the audience how the bills drawn up by the Dewan Rakyat’s disbanded National Unity Consultative Council were chucked out by the ruling party.

Mujahid had chaired the council. The bills included the Racial and Religious Hate Crimes Bill, which criminalised hate speech, and the National Harmony and Reconciliation Bill, which banned discrimination.

“The prime minister was okay with the bill, but there was pressure from the other parties, including his party, Umno. They could not accept the anti-hate speech and anti-racial discrimination laws.”

Mujahid was answering a question from a member of the audience on how PH would tackle issues, such as racial disharmony.

“Sometimes, the issues are non-racial, but in Malaysia we make them so. When there is an accident, the first question we ask is the race of the victim,” he said, as some members of the audience laughed in agreement.

During the forum that drew a mixed audience of different ages, Mujahid spoke about bringing meaningful change through structural reforms to improve the functions of national institutions and restoring their independence.

He also said changes must be made to the system to finance political parties.

“We lack an equitable financing system for political parties. When politicians have to raise their own funds, can anyone refrain from being tempted to accept political financing? The system creates the culprits.”

He also expressed concern that party leaders, who would potentially become government leaders, were elected based on money politics, and suggested that politicians vying for positions must engage in open debates and be judged based on their policies.

Maria also said there should be a law to monitor political financing for parties, not just the candidates whose background and records are investigated before they can contest in elections.

She said there was “political corruption” in both coalitions, with their payouts, kenduri and free hampers for the people.

Meanwhile, Lai spoke on improving women representation in politics by creating women-only additional seats, which would increase the number of seats in a state assembly.

“The move will allow better representation of women and other minority groups,” she said, adding that there was a provision in the Sabah Constitution on this.

“For Penang, we would have to amend the state constitution.”

Bersih 2.0 Northern Region chairman Dr Toh Kin Woon was the moderator. – May 24, 2017.