It's right to ratify anti-racist UN document

QUESTION TIME | Umno and PAS are clearly barking up the wrong tree when they threaten mass demonstrations and more, including running amok, if Malaysia ratifies a UN convention against racial discrimination. Malaysia is among only just 14 countries in the whole wide world which have not ratified it.

There are more than sufficient safeguards and exceptions in the convention, known as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination or Icerd for Malaysia to continue with special privileges for bumiputeras and protecting the monarchy.

It is a matter of great regret that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad seems to be unaware that there is no need to amend the Federal Constitution to ratify the Icerd because the constitution has absolutely no provision for racial discrimination. Mahathir’s son Mukhriz and Bersatu Youth chief and Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman had also expressed reservations about Icerd.

Mahathir had said that it would be almost impossible to change the constitution so as to be able to ratify Icerd. However, he may have said that to appease possible animosity among Malays towards the ratification, with PAS and Umno systematically whipping up sentiment against it.

The constitution provides for special privileges for bumiputeras to ensure they are not left behind in economic development. This is allowed under Icerd up to the time that they will no longer need such protection, which is what the original New Economic Policy seems to have said as well. So where is the contradiction?

Article 1(4) of the Icerd says: “Special measures taken for the sole purpose of securing adequate advancement of certain racial or ethnic groups or individuals requiring such protection as may be necessary in order to ensure such groups or individuals equal enjoyment or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms shall not be deemed racial discrimination, provided, however, that such measures do not, as a consequence, lead to the maintenance of separate rights for different racial groups and that they shall not be continued after the objectives for which they were taken have been achieved.”

That should be enough assurance for any right-thinking Malaysian but apparently not enough for Umno, Pas, Bersatu and even Amanah which have all opposed the Icerd ratification. This is really difficult to understand.

For other Harapan partners, the DAP’s Lim Guan Eng has refused to be drawn into the fray while PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has gone on to say that while ratification of Icerd can proceed it is not a priority now because there are more pressing matters at hand.

Platform of existence

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in typical intimidation mode, went further - much further and said that Malays would go amok if Malaysia ratified Icerd! PAS and Umno are planning a demonstration against the ratification on Dec 8.

“Don’t wait until the Malays run amok. But if our warning goes unheeded, Umno and PAS will unite. This is not a mere warning, don’t play if you don’t want the amok to happen,” he incited.

For Zahid, there is one good reason why he does not want the ratification - those who ratify the convention have to undertake to criminalise all incitements “which attempt to justify or promote racial hatred and discrimination in any form”. That is a good thing and includes amongst others in verbatim below:

(a) Shall declare an offence punishable by law all dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, incitement to racial discrimination, as well as all acts of violence or incitement to such acts against any race or group of persons of another colour or ethnic origin, and also the provision of any assistance to racist activities, including the financing thereof;

(b) Shall declare illegal and prohibit organisations, and also organised and all other propaganda activities, which promote and incite racial discrimination, and shall recognise participation in such organisations or activities as an offence punishable by law;

(c) Shall not permit public authorities or public institutions, national or local, to promote or incite racial discrimination.

For Zahid and Umno diehards, this will in one stroke remove the platform of existence for Umno-PAS and will criminalise many aspects of the campaigning which Umno has perpetuated for decades based on race and religion.

Perhaps the Umno-Pas leadership will go amok, not necessarily the Malays who should be able to see through this masquerade by now via which Umno Malay leaders, including Zahid, flagrantly enriched themselves while ignoring the plight of the poor in their midst. Corrupt leaders can never help the poor.

Why do Bersatu and Amanah join in this charade? Are they so afraid that members of their community are going to misunderstand a strong stand against racism as a move which will be against their interests? How could they when it is Harapan’s avowed aim to remove racism in its midst to build a stronger Malaysia?

Harapan collectively must have the strength, resolve and moral courage to go ahead and do what is right for Malaysia even if Umno threatens violence. They cannot bow down to blackmail anymore. They must have faith that Malaysians can and have moved beyond racism - the election results show it.

No longer must the country be held to ransom by the extremists, no matter from which community they come. If they violate the law, the weight of the law must be thrown against them.

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P GUNASEGARAM says not ratifying the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination means you are racist - period. Email: t.p.guna@gmail.com. - Mkini