Jofri Jaraiee
MIRI: PAS Sarawak has rejected the United Nations’ International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ( ICERD) and urged a similar response from the state and federal governments and indigenous communities of Sarawak.
Jofri Jaraiee, Sarawak PAS Commissioner cum Miri PAS Chief, said Sarawakians specifically the Dayaks, Malays and other Sarawak Bumiputera tribes need to unite to defend their rights from being abolished if they agree to accept ICERD.
ICERD will waive the privileges of the Sarawak Bumiputera, and they will remain behind if they accept ICERD.
Jofri said the definition and scope of ICERD are contrary to Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution. Article 153 gives a special position to the Malays and Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak in some cases, contrary to the scope of ICERD.
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 the ICERD, the country that ratifies it should eliminate all forms of racial discrimination including the relevant laws.
PAS urged the Malaysian government and the Sarawak government, in particular, to reject the ICERD from being adopted in this country as it is contrary to the Malaysian Constitution and indigenous privileges will also be affected.
ICERD is not suitable to be implemented in Malaysia where people of all races and religions have been living in harmony and mutual respect for each other for a long time ago.
ICERD has had a bad impact on indigenous people who are still lagging behind in terms of economy, land ownership and privileges that have long been enacted in the constitution. So Malaysians, especially the natives deserves to reject ICERD from being implemented in Malaysia.