Govt gives assurance on ICERD

KUALA LUMP UR: The government yesterday gave the assurance that it would not ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ( ICERD) if adjustments had to be made to Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waytha Moorthy, who gave the assurance, said the matter of the ratification has been brought to the attention of the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Article 153 refers to the reservation of quotas in respect of services, permits, or other areas, for the Malays as well as the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak. After giving the assurance, Waytha Moorthy moved on to the question of allocations for Rukun Tetangga sectors but Tan Sri Noh Omar ( BN-Tanjung Karang) and Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (BN-Kepala Batas) raised objections, saying ICERD is more important than other matters.

Waytha Moorthy said since the MPs were not interested in the ‘other matters’, he would give a written reply, and sat down.

Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS-Kubang Kerian) then stood up and proposed that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad give a reply on the ICERD issue during the winding-up of debate.