ICERD does not threaten Islam, says SIS

Updated 7 years ago · Published on 28 Oct 2018 12:54PM · 4 Comments

P. Waythamoorthy says the government is committed to ratifying six treaties, including ICERD. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, October 28, 2018.

THE International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) does not threaten the sovereignty of Islam, said a Muslim women rights group.

Sisters in Islam (SIS) communications manager Mjidah Hashim said as most of the Muslims countries of the world have ratified the ICERD, it shows that the convention does not affect the religion’s sovereignty.

“In fact, Article 11 (A) of the OIC Charter 1972 clearly identifies its primary institutional objective as “to eliminate racial segregation and discrimination,” she said in a statement today.

She said Muslims should support the ratification and denounce racism, as what was practised by Prophet Muhammad.

Majidah added Islam is “racially blind” as the religion is made up of individuals from various races.

“There is a clear line between one’s chosen faith and the race into which one is born into, and we must be careful not to dilute one concept into another.

“In ratifying the ICERD, Malaysia not only reflects its commitment to a harmoniously diverse community, but also celebrates the fact that Islam is the official religion of this country - and Islam is against racism,” she said.

On October 24, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waythamoorthy said the government is committed to ratifying six treaties, including ICERD in the first quarter of next year.

He also said the convention will not affect Article 153 of the Federal Constitution,  which touches on the special position of the Malays and Bumiputeras and the legitimate interests of other communities, among others.

He assured that institutions, like Mara, and other agencies that uplift the needy among the Bumiputera community, would not be in any way be affected by the ratification of ICERD. – October 28, 2018.

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Comments

  • There was no organised religion before the advent of our 4 great religions in world history. Before they emerged on the scene in relatively modern times, in the good old days one account is that when they heard thunder or saw lightning in the sky our ancestors used to throw themselves to the ground out of fear and lie prostrate possibly thinking that this sound &light was a super-human power which they later denoted to be God..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • Then with the march of history, world religions sprang up at different periods & these served to promote social good. Not cast in stone, they have undergone some transformation in response to certain changes in society? Likewise in the case of ICERD as benefitting humans & the social good..

      Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Majidah is right when she says Islam is racially blind as the religion is made up of individuals from various races. Since Islam abhors racism as was the practise since Prophet Muhammad's time, is the "line between ones chosen faith" and the :race into which one is born into" inadvertently blurred our race politics inherent in our constitution?

    Posted 7 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • Bloody shit Majidah! Why should we hear on what u said? Muslim should gain the opinion and talks from Islamic Scholar or JAKIM!

    Posted 7 years ago by Zainal Bonandar · Reply