Put a limit on Malay privileges, Amanah delegate says

AMANAH AGM | There must be a limit to Malay special privileges so that other races can also compete fairly, Setiawangsa Amanah delegate Asma Alif said today.

"Special privileges for Malays should have a limit, either a quota or a time limit.

"This is to give space to our Chinese and Indian friends to rise and compete together," he told the Amanah convention in Ipoh today.

Asma said this while supporting a motion to make 'Rahmatan lil alamin' (Islam as a blessing for all) as the country's main agenda.

His proposal bears similarities to provisions for positive discrimination under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd).

Article 1(4) of Icerd states that "special measures taken for the sole purpose of securing adequate advancement of certain racial or ethnic groups...shall not be deemed racial discrimination, provided...they shall not be continued after the objectives for which they were taken have been achieved."

Last month, Putrajaya spiked a move to ratify Icerd after receiving vocal opposition from Malay rights groups.

An 80,000-strong rally was held in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8 to "celebrate" the government's decision.

Those against Icerd said that the United Nations convention infringed upon Malay rights provided for under the Federal Constitution. - Mkini