ROME STATUTE RALLY ANOTHER FIREBALL FOR MAHATHIR TO DOUSE? DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ROYALS WHO EXCEEDED THEIR ROLES HAVE TO SHARE SOME BLAME – FOR GIVING UMNO & PAS SPACE TO RIDE ON THEIR COAT-TAILS AGAINST THE PAKATAN GOVT WITH ANOTHER JUMBO ‘MALAY RIGHTS’ PROTEST THAT CAN ONLY DESTABILIZE THE COUNTRY & STILL-FRAGILE ECONOMY

DESPITE Putrajaya backing down on ratifying the Rome Statute, a Malay-rights group is going ahead with a protest on Saturday to give voice to what it said is a “growing sense of fear and isolation” felt by the Malay and Muslim community.

Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah) chief secretariat Aminuddin Yahaya said the gathering in Kuala Lumpur will also send a clear message to Putrajaya to not make policies that threaten the rights of the majority.

He said even though Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had announced earlier this month that the government would not accede to the Rome Statute, there were concerns that certain parties within the government will still push for the ratification of the international treaty.

“This is now a big issue. The Rome Statute – verbally we are not ratifying it, but that is not cast in stone. There is until June 1 (to ratify the treaty),” Aminuddin told The Malaysian Insight.

“We are seeing forums being organised, where even the attorney-general is involved. And we are concerned that all this is just a show to weaken the resolve of the people objecting to it.”

A forum to discuss the Rome Statute was held in Kuala Lumpur last week. Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and retired top civil servant Farida Noor Ariffin were among the panelists who spoke in support of the treaty.

The Rome Statute aside, Aminuddin said the group would also raise the matter of the teaching of science and math in English, and other policies undertaken by Pakatan which threaten the position of Malays and the national language.

He said PH has increasingly alienated Malays and Muslims through its policies and actions since taking over from Barisan Nasional.

“The people will sound it out even louder to the government that their actions so far have not been towards defending Islam and the Malays, in fact we appear to be sidelined,” he said.

“As the majority race, Malays now feel isolated. Economically and socially, it does not look like the government is serious about raising Islam and Malays.”

Aminuddin said he is due at the Dang Wangi police station at 3pm today to notify the police about the gathering.

“Alhamdulillah, in general, the police are willing to give their approval. And this afternoon, we will meet them formally,” he said.

“They want to help us. Actually, the relationship between us and the police is very good, as proven by our last anti-ICERD rally. It was a success because there was not one scrap of rubbish, so they trust us.”

In December, Ummah, along with other Malay rights groups and Umno and PAS leaders, held a massive rally condemning the government’s earlier decision to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Aminuddin said Umno and PAS have been invited to take part in the rally, which is expected to see some 20,000 participants.

“So far, there are already more than 30 non-governmental organisations which have registered. We invited everyone – Umno, PAS, Bersatu and PKR.

“We are not making this political. We just want to voice what we feel is an affront to Islam and the Malays.”

PAS calls for full turnout at Saturday Malay rights rally

PAS has ordered all its leaders and members to show up in full force for a rally this Saturday in Kuala Lumpur to oppose the Rome Statute, among other issues Malay rights groups blame the Pakatan Harapan government for.

A circular signed by PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan dated today had been issued to the party’s wings and all state committees nationwide to attend the rally to “defend the sovereignty of Islam and the constitution”.

“All leaders and members at state, federal territory, district, branch and wing levels are ordered to come out in full force while urging as many PAS supporters as possible to attend,” the circular said.

It called for protesters to gather at 1pm at Masjid Jamek in the heart of the capital and to march to the Sogo shopping centre on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. The march is organised by Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah).

Among the rally’s objectives listed in the PAS circular are to oppose threats to the sovereignty of Islam and the Rome Statute, seek justice for dead fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, oppose language issues such as government recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) from Chinese high schools and the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English, and call for the sacking of Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, who is non-Muslim.

Organiser Ummah told The Malaysian Insight earlier it was pressing ahead with the rally despite Putrajaya’s U-turn on some issues, such as its withdrawal of its accession to the Rome Statute.

An Ummah officer said it was going ahead because there was a “growing sense of fear and isolation” felt by the Malay and Muslim community.

PAS, once an ally with PH parties DAP and PKR before the 14th general election, has grown increasingly close to Umno and is now cooperating with the former ruling party to oppose the PH government.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT