PETALING JAYA: No Malaysian would want Malaysia to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) at the price of another May 13 racial riot, Lim Kit Siang said yesterday.
The DAP adviser said there are irresponsible elements seeking to incite distrust, animosity and hatred to engineer another May 13 riot in Malaysia.
Lim was speaking at the Malaysian Association of Jiansu Annual Gala Dinner in Suchou, China.
“There is no need to incite and escalate racial and religious doubts, animosity and hatred to create another May 13 racial riot,” Lim said.
“I have no doubt that if ICERD is indeed anti-Malaysian Constitution, anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Sultans, the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, regardless of race or religiion would not want Malaysia to ratify ICERD.
“Is ICERD against the Malaysian Constitution, anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers?”
The DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri said he was still waiting for an answer as to whether 99% of the 1.9 billion Muslims in the world, who live in countries which have ratified ICERD, are not genuine Muslims?
“Why is Malaysia cutting itself off from the overwhelming majority of 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) as only Malaysia and Brunei are the only two of the 57 countries which have not ratified the ICERD?” he asked.
Lim said there are 38 countries with the monarchical system, out of which 36 have ratified the ICERD including the United Kingdom in 1969, Norway 1970, Sweden 1971, Denmark 1971, Netherlands 1971, Jordan 1974, Belgium 1975, Japan in 1995, and Saudi Arabia 1997.
“There are absolutely no indications that the ratification of ICERD by these 36 countries have undermined the monarchical system as to lead to their abolition,” Lim said.
The ICERD issue is a warning to all Malaysians that their “New Malaysia” vision can still fail if we allow political opportunists and desperados to exploit the toxic politics of lies, hatred, race and religion to the extent of unleashing racial and religious conflicts, he added.
