SHAH ALAM: Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) will oppose Malaysia’s ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) because it violates the Federal Constitution.
Its deputy president, Datuk Salahuddin Ayub said the Malaysian people should safeguard the harmony, equality and livelihood of all the races in the country.
“Anything that is contravenes the country’s constitution and culture, we cannot accept. We have our own system . What is contained in the constitution has to be safeguarded.
“Currently, i think many will not ratify it (ICERD) and there are matters that have to be looked into thoroughly. We have to defend what we think is required for the country,“ he told reporters after the Bicara Minda bersama Menteri Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani” programme at Dewan Karangkraf here today.
Last Oct 26, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waytha Moorthy was reported to have said that Malaysia would ratify the ICERD and five other treaties on human rights as early as the first quarter of next year.
However, last Oct 31, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that Malaysia would only ratify ICERD after negotiations with all the races, while admitting that it was not an easy matter because Malaysia is a country of various races that have their own particular interests. — Bernama
