DESPITE Putrajaya backing down on ratifying the Rome Statute, a Malay-rights group is going ahead with a protest on Saturday to give voice to what it said is a “growing sense of fear and isolation” felt by the Malay and Muslim community.
Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah) chief secretariat Aminuddin Yahaya said the gathering in Kuala Lumpur will also send a clear message to Putrajaya to not make policies that threaten the rights of the majority.
He said even though Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had announced earlier this month that the government would not accede to the Rome Statute, there were concerns that certain parties within the government will still push for the ratification of the international treaty.
“This is now a big issue. The Rome Statute – verbally we are not ratifying it, but that is not cast in stone. There is until June 1 (to ratify the treaty),” Aminuddin told The Malaysian Insight.
“We are seeing forums being organised, where even the attorney-general is involved. And we are concerned that all this is just a show to weaken the resolve of the people objecting to it.”
A forum to discuss the Rome Statute was held in Kuala Lumpur last week. Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and retired top civil servant Farida Noor Ariffin were among the panelists who spoke in support of the treaty.
The Rome Statute aside, Aminuddin said the group would also raise the matter of the teaching of science and math in English, and other policies undertaken by Pakatan which threaten the position of Malays and the national language.
He said PH has increasingly alienated Malays and Muslims through its policies and actions since taking over from Barisan Nasional.
“The people will sound it out even louder to the government that their actions so far have not been towards defending Islam and the Malays, in fact we appear to be sidelined,” he said.
“As the majority race, Malays now feel isolated. Economically and socially, it does not look like the government is serious about raising Islam and Malays.”
Aminuddin said he is due at the Dang Wangi police station at 3pm today to notify the police about the gathering.
“Alhamdulillah, in general, the police are willing to give their approval. And this afternoon, we will meet them formally,” he said.
“They want to help us. Actually, the relationship between us and the police is very good, as proven by our last anti-ICERD rally. It was a success because there was not one scrap of rubbish, so they trust us.”
In December, Ummah, along with other Malay rights groups and Umno and PAS leaders, held a massive rally condemning the government’s earlier decision to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Aminuddin said Umno and PAS have been invited to take part in the rally, which is expected to see some 20,000 participants.
“So far, there are already more than 30 non-governmental organisations which have registered. We invited everyone – Umno, PAS, Bersatu and PKR.
“We are not making this political. We just want to voice what we feel is an affront to Islam and the Malays.” – April 30, 2019.
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