‘ILLOGICAL FOR PAS, UMNO TO HOLD RALLY’

Cabinet has decided not to ratify UN convention, says Anwar

UMNO and Pas’s insistence on carrying on with the protest against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) is illogical.

PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Umno and Pas must realise that the gathering should not be held considering that the cabinet had decided that Malaysia would not ratify ICERD.

The parties, he said, should think about the effects of the gathering at a time when the country was facing a sensitive issue.

“That is more important. I think it is not logical to carry on with a gathering to protest ICERD, when the cabinet has rejected it,” he said. “I ask the Umno and Pas leadership to be smart as we cannot deny that there is racial tension now. I see it as illogical (to carry on with the gathering) and I hope they won’t carry on with it.”

Anwar was speaking to reporters after launching a book, 9 Mei 2018: Catatan Dari Barisan Hadapan, leadership council member and Setiawangsa member of parliament Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Umno and Pas had planned to hold a protest against ICERD this Saturday to call for the cabinet not to ratify the convention. When the cabinet announced that Malaysia would not be ratifying ICERD, Umno said the rally would instead be held to thank the cabinet.

However, Pas had said it wanted to continue with the rally, claiming that the government had failed to show that it was serious about not ratifying ICERD and five other international conventions.

On calls by Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa president Dr Ibrahim Ali for Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator P. Waytha Moorthy to resign following the riots at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, Putra Heights, Anwar said what was most important was for a solution to be found regarding the temple issue.

“The Selangor menteri besar will call all parties together to find the best solution possible so that there is no racial misunderstandings, which could make things even worse. As for the ministers, they will follow what the prime minister says,” he said.

Anwar said police had the right to investigate the riots under the Sedition Act as the law was still in use in Malaysia. He said even though Pakatan Harapan intended to repeal the act, police and the home minister had their own way of dealing with the case.

“What is important is that those who were responsible for starting the riots and the fights have action taken against them according to the laws we have at hand.”

On MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong’s statement that the PH government had failed to be a good government and had instead been a stumbling block to the happiness of the people, Anwar merely said the present administration had to deal with the consequences of the corruption practised by the previous administration.

“We must allow Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to manage the government. It has been only six months and the government had to deal with effects of the corruption and abuse of power (of the previous administration).

“We have had to make do with whatever resources we have as the previous government lost billions of ringgit.”

I ask the Umno and Pas leadership to be smart as we cannot deny that there is racial tension now. DATUK SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM

PKR president