Mega anti-ICERD rally can "calm" racial tensions, says PAS – Nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The December 8th big meeting against ICERD should "calm down" racial tensions in the country and should not be linked to the recent riots in the temple, said the vice president of PAS.

Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (peak) said the mega rally scheduled for December 8 in Kuala Lumpur against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (which the government had envisaged but that it had decided not to sign) should not be related to the riots of the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, Subang Jaya.

"These are separate problems. The temple issue involves the developer and the owner of the temple.

"This has nothing to do with ICERD and we should not link it to the rally," Tuan Ibrahim told reporters at his meeting in Parliament Hall on Wednesday (28 November).

"On this point, we must respect freedom of religion.

"Even in times of war, Islam does not allow us to kill, destroy places of worship, priests and even trees," he added.

Tuan Ibrahim hopes the December 8 rally will ease racial tensions in the country.

"A rally is not always negative. More importantly, it's about how we manage the situation and show our gratitude to the government, "he added.

Kubang Kerian MP said the December 8 rally should not involve any racial sentiment as it is "not a racial gathering".

But how could a mega rally against the elimination of racial discrimination be a "racial gathering"?

Tuan Ibrahim said the rally was about "national policies".

"It does not concern the Malays, the Chinese or the Indians. We just want to make sure that no race will be left out, "he said.

"We invite all the races that appreciate the 61 years of peace that we have achieved as a country. There has been no disturbance so far and we must defend it. "

At the same time, Tuan Ibrahim said that the government needed a new law to solve the problems related to places of worship in the country.

"For example, we can not just build places of worship. At the same time, we must respect the oldest places that have existed for over a hundred years.

"There must be a mechanism for the oldest places to be maintained. If they have to be moved, they must be treated in a harmonious way, "he said.

Last Friday (November 23), the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement announcing that the government had decided not to ratify the HRTC.

However, the head of the Ummah's secretariat, Aminuddin Yahaya, said the rally will continue to "celebrate" the rakyat's decision to pressure the government to reject ICERD.

The December 8 rally will be held in Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.

The organizers announced that PAS and Umno will send 350,000 members each, the balance coming from NGOs and the public, to reach the goal of a million participants.