KUALA LUMPUR – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was wrong when claiming that promoting a multi-ethnic and multicultural Malaysia is unconstitutional, said several lawyers.
Lawyer Christopher Leong said there are provisions in the federal constitution that protect – hence promote – other religions, ethnicities, and cultures.
“For example, there is Article 3(1) of the federal constitution on freedom of practice of other religions and Article 8 which states that all people are equal in front of the law and are entitled to equal protection.
“Malaysia’s multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-religious, multilingual society is one of its blessings and there is no basis to say that such blessings, wealth, and beauty are unconstitutional,” said the former Malaysian Bar president when contacted today.
The Bar Council’s constitutional law committee co-chair Andrew Khoo shared the same view, saying that the federal constitution clearly promotes multiracialism.
“I’m not sure what constitution Tun Dr Mahathir is reading when he says that promoting a multi-ethnic Malaysia is unconstitutional,” he said.
Khoo said apart from those stated in Articles 3, 5, 8, and 11, Article 153 of the constitution also places the Malays of the peninsula and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak in a special position in relation to other races, in order to achieve a fair and equitable balance in education, employment, and enterprise.
“If we look at the definition of natives of Sabah and Sarawak in the federal constitution, it is also clear that they encompass many different ethnicities.
“I am genuinely saddened to read media reports of what Dr Mahathir is reported to have said. If the reports are accurate, then he is contradicting himself,” he said.
According to Khoo, Dr Mahathir had said in August 1996 when opening the Second World Fujian Convention and Malaysia-Fujian Investment and Trade Exhibition in Langkawi, that “Malaysians are justly proud their country is a genuinely multiracial nation”.
“Again, in February 2019, Dr Mahathir spoke in a Chinese New Year video distributed by the Prime Minister’s Office where he reminded Malaysians not to take lightly the nurturing of the relationship among the multiracial, multi-religious, and multicultural community, saying it is something not easy to preserve,” he said.
Khoo said the former prime minister’s posting might encourage and embolden racial and religious extremist and supremacist groups in this country, which will result in increased racial disharmony and disunity.
“A racially disunited country with heavily politicised racial extremist and supremacist groups may discourage and deter inward foreign direct investment, leading to less economic development and less employment opportunities. This in turn will make all of us poorer,” he added. – Bernama, July 5, 2023
