Talk to stakeholders first, says activist on ICERD

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 23 Nov 2018 7:00AM · 3 Comments

Hishamuddin Rais says the ICERD problem is a manifestation of Malaysia's failure to resolve questions of national identity. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Afif Abd Halim, November 23, 2018.

THE government should have consulted stakeholders before it talked about implementing new policies, said Hishamuddin Rais.

This is particularly so when the policy was controversial, said the activist at a forum on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) at the International Islamic University Malaysia yesterday.

“P. Waytha Moorthy is not the national unity ministry but a minister of disunity as he was not smart.

“He should have held townhall meetings with all the stakeholders to discuss the ICERD issue first (like we are doing now) instead of deciding to ratify it. Not the other way round,” he said.

ICERD has been blown out of proportion as certain political parties were exploiting the issue for their own advantage, he said.

Of bigger concern to Hishamuddin was the fact that questions surrounding a Malaysian national identity were never fully resolved.

“This ICERD problem now is a manifestation of our national identity problem.”

Some Malays have not fully accepted the fact that Chinese and Indians were given citizenships in 1957, he said.

Participants at the ICERD forum at the International Islamic University Malaysia yesterday heard about the pros and cons of the convention. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Afif Abd Halim, November 23, 2018.

“They believe that the British colonialists had sold them off. But if they saw history in another way, as in the British gave citizenships to curb the rise of the communists, then it would be different.”

The issue of a nation state could have been resolved much earlier, he added.

“But politicians wanted to keep the races separated so that they could go to them for votes every five years.

“As such, it is now up to students in (this) generation to resolve this issue,” said the former Universiti Malaya activist.

The other panellists were Permatang Pasir assemblyman Faiz Fadzil, political commentator Hasmi Hashim and Liga Pemuda Malaysia activist Amir Abd Hadi. The forum was sponsored by Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon and moderated by MMO editor Fathi Mat Aris. – November 23, 2018.

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Comments

  • Come on, Malaysians who live here have transcended at least 2 to 3 generations since 1957. They are born on this land, brought up by this land, flesh and blood fed by this land. There is no reason to discriminate anyone as not the son of Malaysia. It is time to accord equal rights to all Malaysians.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Talk to stakeholders? Depending on who they are. Many stakeholders have already closed their eyes, ears and brains.

    Posted 7 years ago by Awang Bilis · Reply

  • In all your astute intelligence and observation, you too display the stupidity that is unwarranted. Talk to what stakeholders???. The previous stakeholdrs of Umno is clearly entrenched in their 3Rs for self serving and even the Malay PH leaders are remnants from Umno in the same capacity. What is there for P. Wartha Moorthy to discuss with interested stakeholders. Even muddled headed Amanah togather with the youth in PPBM who has no inkling of what ICERD is, but just plain herds and resistance to changes in pertahankan Bangsar Melayu dan Agama. The best they could an answer and coming from the PM in waiting is something similar like "tangguhkan dulu, tak mustahak , kita ada banyak hal di utamakan". Place you in P. Wartha Moorthy job designation , you think any better in approach. You think the Malay race care to discuss when their only major care and concerns even if the country is burning and crashing down, is that their golden entitlement in Article 153 and their Agama are taboos to be discussed . Do they care even knowingly that this ICERD concerns do not affect their needy entitlement in Article 153 or even have any mention about their Agama practises. NO !!!! Their resistance is not about all that but re-enforcing and retaining their so called false beliefs of Ketuanan Melayu. As per to Zahid Hamidi who is actually speaking out what he personally feels but projecting it to the Malay race , this entitlement will never ever see the any challenge to decease it for he will goes amok togather with the rest of the herds. What more bright ideas do you still have Mr. Hishamuddin Rais. Lots of activists just talk to represent moments of care and concern with their self assertive manners to be crowd puller but dig deeply you will find the innerself are in conflict and the thoughts of compliance withered for when the religion and race comes a calling whither go they.????????????????????

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply