By Selangor Journal Staff
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia will sign a convention that commits the government to racial equality based on international standards in the future, but it will not be easy, warns Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
“There are so many races and they are sensitive about certain things,” Mahathir told reporters today.
Negotiations must first be held with all communities before the government formally signs the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), amid protests from some groups who accuse supporters of the treaty of trying to undermine the constitution’s special rights for the Malays and Bumiputeras.
Mahathir added that there was no use talking about Malay special rights.
He said Ketuanan Melayu was meaningless if the community was not in control of the economy.
“I tell the Malays that there is no point talking about ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ if you are a coolie.
“If you want to be a master, you can be one, but you must have knowledge, be hardworking, don’t cheat, don’t steal,” he said.
This was said by the prime minister at a press conference after launching the Industry 4.0 National Policy at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Tower here today.
