DIABOLICAL PLOT THWARTED OR NOT, DISSATISFIED ZAHID & ANNUAR MUSA CONTINUE TO POKE RACIAL FIRE – EVEN AS INFLUENTIAL MALAY-MUSLIM GROUP IKRAM CALLS FOR DEC 8 RALLY TO BE SCRAPPED

KUALA LUMPUR— Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has questioned today the validity of the statement by the Prime Minister’s Office to not ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

He claimed the statement could only be considered valid if it was signed by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself, and later brought to Parliament so that it could be recorded in the official hansard.

“This approach is unacceptable and does not guarantee it could change anytime, even more so when done in a rushed manner,” Zahid said in a statement.

He said the Opposition is nonetheless thankful over the decision, claiming it was affected by several anti-ICERD protests across the country in past few weeks.

“It is also believed to be a political move by the Pakatan Harapan government in view of the Rantau assembly seat by-election not long from now.

“To that the Opposition urges the government to follow set procedures in announcing decisions connected to foreign policies,” Zahid said, adding that until it is included in the Parliamentary hansard, the government’s sincerity in decision making will be hard to believe.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad

@chedetofficial

|Admin| Kerajaan Pakatan Harapan tidak akan meratifikasi Konvensyen

Antarabangsa Mengenai Pembasmian Diskriminasi Kaum (International Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Racial Discrimination –ICERD).

Similarly, Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa also said the government cannot say it is changing its stance and will guarantee ICERD will not be signed, via a letter or a press release.

“It must be done by the prime minister through a statement to Parliament and officially recorded in the hansard of the Parliamentary minutes,” he said on Twitter.

The Prime Minister’s Office made the announcement yesterday amid mass protests by Malay-Muslim groups nationwide.

Yesterday, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the decision was made unanimously by the Cabinet.

Malaysia is one of 14 countries in the world that has not signed or ratified ICERD, including Brunei, Myanmar, and North Korea. – MALAY MAIL

No need for Dec 8 ICERD rally, says influential Malay-Muslim group

THERE is no need to carry on with the December 8 rally now that the government has decided not to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), said an influential Malay-Muslim group, Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia (Ikram).

The call from its president Mohd Parid Sheikh Ahmad came as Islamist party PAS announced yesterday that the gathering will go on, not as a protest, but as a “celebratory and thanksgiving gathering”.

Parid, however, said with the government making its stand on ICERD yesterday, there was no need for anyone to carry on with the December 8 rally.

“We appreciate the feedback from all parties concerned on this issue, including political parties, civil society groups and influential individuals,” he said.

“But now that the issue is settled, Ikram urges everyone to remain calm and place importance on the peace and stability of the country.”  

Parid said Ikram’s stand on this issue has been consistent: Putrajaya should place more emphasis on reforming the various institutions in the government instead of ratifying ICERD.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced yesterday that the government will not ratify ICERD and that it will defend the federal constitution, which reflects the social contract that representatives of all the races agreed to during the formation of the country more than 60 years ago.

The move was slammed by civil society groups, who said it was an “appalling” and “an embarrassing U-turn” by Putrajaya.

They also said Putrajaya was sending a wrong signal to Malaysians, that the “New Malaysia” supports and allows racial discrimination.

PAS, Umno and Malay-rights groups had been against the plan to ratify the treaty.

Legal minds and rights activists, however, have said ratifying ICERD would not necessitate any amendment to Article 153 in the constitution on the special position of Malays, as ICERD allows for temporary race-based affirmative action.

The protests against ICERD has also led the police to call up several Malay leaders, including Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who have allegedly issued incendiary statements which could spark racial problems.  THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

MALAY MAIL / THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT