We don’t need any anti-racism law, says PM’s Dept

Putrajaya has no plan to formulate an Anti-Racism Act or an Anti-Discrimination Act as the government feels law enforcement will not be the best way to unite the nation’s multiracial community.

Such laws are not needed as the unity in the country is at a good and controlled level, the Prime Minister's Department (JPM) said in a parliamentary reply released yesterday.

"The government has never discussed the formulation of an Anti-Racism Act or an Anti-Discrimination Act in order to maintain the security and unity of the multiracial (communities) in the country.

"We opine that the efforts taken to unite the multiracial (people) should be based on education, instead of law enforcement," JPM said in the reply.

"The government will not use the law arbitrarily to unite people of all ethnic groups. Instead, society should be educated from childhood."

There should not be any compulsion in any effort taken to inculcate unity among the people, the department said.

The reply to Parliament came in response to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who asked the prime minister whether the government intended to formulate such laws to unite the people.

Elaborating further, JPM said the government could improve the existing laws to curb racism and discrimination.

[More to follow]

- Mkini