KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 – Despite growing criticisms for not acting against several racist civil servants, the government insisted today that it would not enact a Race Relations Act.
In a written reply to Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) in Parliament today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of unity affairs Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon explained that this was because the country had enough laws to govern race relation issues.
He also pointed out that the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan had already issued a general service circular to all heads of government departments on October 1, reminding their officers to refrain from making statements touching on racial and religious sensitivities.
“The suggestion to enact the Race Relations Act rose following several sensitive issues and racial statements that have been hotly debated by many individuals and given wide coverage in the print and electronic media since the middle of 2008.
“The objective of this Act was to prevent and take action against individuals or groups whose remarks or behaviour destroys the relationship between the races,” he said.
Koh noted that the National Integration and Unity Department was tasked by the Cabinet to study and make comparisons between similar laws in different countries as well as to hold roundtable discussions with the Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, academicians, NGOs and both the private and public sectors.
“Based on the summary of the department’s report, the Cabinet, in January 2009 already decided that there was no need to enact a Race Relations Act because the existing laws of the country were sufficient to handle these issues.
“If need be, the current laws can be revised, examined, clarified and amended, as well as carried out more effectively and fairly,” he said.
Koh claimed that in making this decision, the Cabinet had also taken into consideration that the Federal Constitution was the country’s official platform that clearly took into consideration the interests of all the races in the country while the Rukunegara was its guiding principles.
“Additionally, it was found that laws alone cannot force a person to like another. Hence, it is more important to prioritise the application of moral values and a change of attitudes through education and socialisation as it might bring about more effective and sustainable results,” he said.
Koh also underscored several programmes introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak since he took office like 1 Malaysia, the Government Transformation Programme and the Economic Transformation Programme, which he claimed further helped to strengthen unity in diversity.
“However, as a result of recent incidents of civil servants uttering statements that touched on racial sensitivities, the Chief Secretary to the Government issued the circular on October 1 to state the government’s stand on preventing statements and actions that could destroy the relationship between the races.
“The circular also explained on principles and disciplinary actions that would be taken to deal with such cases. Any further suggestions on how to improve these actions can be considered,” he said.
The government has come under fire in recent days for failing to act quickly on several civil servants including an official from the government’s National Civics Bureau and two school principals for allegedly uttering racial slurs.
The BTN official Hamim Husin had, during a recent closed-door Puteri Umno function, referred to the Chinese and Indian communities as “Si Mata Sepet” and “Si Botol” respectively when asking Puteri Umno members to approach the non-Malays for votes.
“The ‘si mata sepet’ that has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The ‘si botol’ that only knows how to go up to Batu Caves up and down only has one vote,” Hamim told the closed-door gathering, as reported in The Malaysian Insider.
Siti Inshah Mansor, the principal of SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, had allegedly told students during an assembly that the Chinese could return the China and likened Hindus to “dogs” because of their prayer strings.
“Pelajar-pelajar Cina tidak diperlukan dan boleh balik ke China ataupun Sekolah Foon Yew. Bagi pelajar India, tali sembahyang yang diikat di pergelangan tangan dan leher pelajar nampak seakan anjing dan hanya anjing akan mengikat seperti itu,” she had allegedly said.
Another principal in Kedah had allegedly told off several Chinese students and accused them of disrespecting the Muslims by eating in the school canteen during fasting month.
When speaking on the issues today, Mohd Sidek said that the government would follow proper procedures in dealing with the two racist principals and a National Civics Bureau official for allegedly making racial remarks. He however did not say whether the three had been found guilty or whether they had already been disciplined.
“There are rules and regulations in which we have to follow and I will make sure that they are followed,” Mohd Sidek told reporters after attending a seminar at the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM).
Yesterday Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin refused to allow a debate in Parliament over the alleged racial slurs made by two school headmistresses, claiming that action had already been taken against them.
Pandikar did not, however, provide any details on the supposed action taken against the two.
Asked today about the case involving the BTN assistant director Hamim Husin, Mohd Sidek replied: “The same [as for the two principals].”
He declined to comment further.
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