PM: No way to amend Article 153 and ratify ICERD

SERDANG: The Federal Constitution must be amended to ratify the ICERD as Article 153 can be interpreted as giving privileges to the indigenous and be deemed discriminatory, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“ICERD promotes freedom and less discrimination. Article 153 gives some privileges to the indigenous people, which means some may interpret it as being discriminatory.

“If we tried to abolish these privileges, it will go against Article 153.

“Article 153 cannot be amended as long as there is no two-thirds majority,” the Prime Minister said when asked why there was a need to amend the Federal Constitution. Article 153 affirms the position of the bumiputra in the country.

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, or ICERD, has become a bone of contention as those opposing it said the UN convention challenged the rights of the Malays under Article 153, while those for it say that it is an insurance for all races to be given equal treatment.

Speaking to reporters after launching the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show (MAHA) 2018 in Serdang yesterday, Dr Mahathir reiterated that there was no way Article 153 could be amended as Pakatan Harapan did not have a two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

He said not only was the ICERD being opposed by the Opposition, there were disgruntled feelings from among some members of the government.

Fruits of labour: Dr Mahathir signing on a melon during his visit to the 2018 Malaysia AgricultureHorticulture and Agrotourism Show in Serdang.

The PM also said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator P. Waytha Moorthy should be given a chance to prove his capabilities.

The minister had come under fire from those against Malaysia ratifying the ICERD when he tried to propose it in Parliament.

“I too was maha zalim (most cruel) and from Umno, but just because I have a past, does that mean that I cannot join PH? The people who called me maha zalim now made me the PM,” Dr Mahathir said, when asked about the public petition asking for Waytha Moorthy to resign over his past racist statements while he was in Hindraf and the line-up in his office which was not multi-racial.

“When he was in Hindraf, he made statements to show foreigners there was no justice in the country. That was then.

“Give him a chance. He is in the government and he of course appoints people from Hindraf and Indians he knows. (But) the line-up must be from all races,’’ he added.

Dr Mahathir also defended the need to keep the National Security Council (NSC) Act 2016.

If repealed, he said gangsters and criminals might do what they liked.

“As a democratic nation, we as the government have to listen to the people. There is a worry that if we repeal NSC, the gangsters and criminals will be free to do what they like,” he said.

On Monday, the government said the controversial NSC would be amended despite an electoral campaign promise to abolish the law.- Star