POLICE did not report a single untoward incident during the anti-ICERD rally in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“The inspector-general of police (Mohamad Fuzi Harun) told me it is the first time that no untoward incidents or clashes were reported during a rally.

“Not one person was arrested or stopped from going to the rally.

“This never happened during the Barisan Nasional era,” he said at the Pakatan Harapan Charity Dinner 2018, held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, tonight.

Muhyiddin said the rally against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination was smooth from start to end because PH is not the kind of government to use suppressive measures to silence dissent.

“This is a new Malaysia under (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad. We believe in democracy. We will not stop the people from speaking out.

“This is how we move forward. The people can express what they feel. This clearly shows where PH is heading.”

A crowd numbering in the tens of thousands descended on the capital for the gathering, organised by Malay-Muslim groups and supported by Umno and PAS.

The organisers had said the rally was to show thanks to Putrajaya for its decision not to proceed with ratifying ICERD, which some groups claimed posed a threat to the special position of Malays and Islam in the country.

It was reported that Dr Mahathir said the government cannot accept the United Nations convention as it would jeopardise Malays. – December 9, 2018.