PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he could not be present at Suhakam’s human rights day celebration tomorrow as he had rejected ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

Dr Mahathir said Suhakam wanted ICERD ratified and adopted in the country.

“I decided that we will not accept ICERD and Suhakam wants to accept ICERD, so how can I go?” he told reporters after chairing the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting in Petaling Jaya today.

Present was PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, PKR advisory council chairman Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo and other leaders of PH component parties.

Dr Mahathir defended the police request for Suhakam to postpone its gathering due to security concerns. 

“Because there are two demonstrations (gatherings) at the same time, the police have to split up their officers (personnel) to two places. Because we are afraid that the first gathering (anti-ICERD protest) involves a lot of people, so we decided to shift the gathering to another day.

“It was postponed to another day so that the police would not be pressured. The police may not have enough people to monitor all places.” 

Dr Mahathir also chided the expected participation of thousands from Umno, PAS and Malay supremacist groups. 

“Today’s gathering is attended by certain groups, I want to extend my congratulations to them because they want to gather in to say thanks (in gratitude) to the government,” he said. – December 8, 2018.