PAS Sarawak rejects Icerd

MIRI: PAS Sarawak rejects United Nations’ International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ( Icerd) and urged the state and federal governments and indigenous communities of Sarawak to respond similarly.

Jofri Jaraiee, Sarawak PAS commissioner and Miri PAS chief, said Sarawakians specifically the Dayaks, Malays and other Sarawak Bumiputera communities need to unite to defend their rights from being abolished by rejecting Icerd.

Icerd will waive the privileges of Sarawak Bumiputera and they will remain behind if they accept the Icerd, he said.

Jofri said the definition and scope of Icerd are contrary to Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution which gives a special position to the Malays and Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak.

Icerd is a United Nations convention. A third- generation human rights instrument, the Convention commits its members to the elimination of racial discrimination and the promotion of understanding among all races.

According to Icerd, the country that ratifies it should eliminate all forms of racial discrimination, including the relevant laws.

Thus, PAS urged the Malaysian government and the Sarawak government in particular to reject Icerd from being adopted in this country, saying it is contrary to the Malaysian Constitution and will erode the privileges of the indigenous communities.

The party said Icerd is not suitable to be implemented in Malaysia where people of all races and religions have been living in harmony with mutual respect for each other for a long time.

It said Icerd will have a bad impact on indigenous people who are still lagging behind in terms of economy, land ownership and privileges contrary to the spirit of the Federal Constitution.

“So Malaysians, especially the natives, deserve to reject Icerd from being implemented in Malaysia,” said Jofri.