KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today defended his statement and claimed that Malaysia is not a multiracial country merely because it comprises people of various races.
Citing examples from the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, Dr Mahathir said the people from the countries first identified themselves as citizens, instead of their ethnicity.
"Accepting other nationalities from other races does not make Malaysia a multiracial country.
"Just look at the UK, US and Australia, they retain as citizens and their races are still British, American or Australian instead of being British Indian, Malaysian Australian or even German American.
"It is normal for foreigners to be given citizenship and protected by the law fairly and it does not mean that the nation has become a multi-ethnic country," he said in a Facebook statement, today.
Previously, Dr Mahathir had claimed that promoting Malaysia as a multiracial country is against the Federal Constitution.
Following his claim, Deputy Minister in Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh said the claim made by Dr Mahathir was unconstitutional and had no legal basis.
Citing Article 3 of the Federal Constitution, Ramkarpal said the article was proof of the basic structure of Malaysia's multiracial identity.
It also provides that religions, other than Islam, can be practised peacefully in any part of the Federation, he said.
However, Dr Mahathir refuted Ramkarpal's reasoning and claimed that Malaysia is still a 'Malay nation' following the provisions in the constitution which stipulates the protection of the national language, customs as well as Malay rulers.
"The constitution is the highest of law and must be respected. However, it can be amended if two-thirds of Parliament members agree (to amend it) and if agreement is reached, Malaysia can be turned into a multiracial country.
"This means that the original country of the Malays will disappear. Hence, if the Malays want to get rid of the nation's 'Malayness', go ahead and support the notion that this country is a multiracial country." - NST
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