Say No To Racial Discrimination And Racism

The Government of Malaysia has no excuse for not having ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Any government that does not ratify CERD is a government that supports racism and racial discrimination.

Only 19 UN members (out of 191) have not ratified CERD. Malaysia is in the company of countries like Vanuatu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa and Palau to name a few. Of so called Islamic countries (my understanding of Islam being that it does not support racial discrimination), Malaysia only has Brunei for company (see here, click on "status of ratifications").

Malaysia is a member of the United Nations, sits on the UN Human Rights Council and has ratified 2 human rights treaties - the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It has also adopted various UN human rights declarations, from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to more recently, the Vienna Declaration And Programme of Action (on human rights).

There is no doubt that Malaysia has accepted the international human rights framework. In addition to the matters described above, the National Human Rights Commission was established in response to a UN led initiative to establish national human rights institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights. The National Human Rights Commission Act refers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

And it goes without saying that the Federal Constitution guarantees equality (see No Discrimination Please, We Are Malaysians)

Demand that the Government of Malaysia ratify immediately. Demand action, reject excuses. We are all equal. Reasonable and fair measures for protection and affirmative action (such as in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution) do not allow the establishment of a system of racial discrimination (see Article 1 (4) and Article 2, CERD - excerpt appears below).

There is no possible justification for the continued failure of the Malaysian Government to ratify CERD. Consider the following excerpt from CERD:

The States Parties to this Convention,


Considering that the Charter of the United Nations is based on the principles of the dignity and equality inherent in all human beings, and that all Member States have pledged themselves to take joint and separate action, in co-operation with the Organization, for the achievement of one of the purposes of the United Nations which is to promote and encourage universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,


Considering that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set out therein, without distinction of any kind, in particular as to race, colour or national origin,



Considering that all human beings are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law against any discrimination and against any incitement to discrimination,



...



Considering that the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 20 November 1963 (General Assembly resolution 1904 (XVIII)) solemnly affirms the necessity of speedily eliminating racial discrimination throughout the world in all its forms and manifestations and of securing understanding of and respect for the dignity of the human person,



Convinced that any doctrine of superiority based on racial differentiation is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous, and that there is no justification for racial discrimination, in theory or in practice, anywhere,



Reaffirming that discrimination between human beings on the grounds of race, colour or ethnic origin is an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among nations and is capable of disturbing peace and security among peoples and the harmony of persons living side by side even within one and the same State,



Convinced that the existence of racial barriers is repugnant to the ideals of any human society,



Alarmed by manifestations of racial discrimination still in evidence in some areas of the world and by governmental policies based on racial superiority or hatred, such as policies of apartheid, segregation or separation,



Resolved to adopt all necessary measures for speedily eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and manifestations, and to prevent and combat racist doctrines and practices in order to promote understanding between races and to build an international community free from all forms of racial segregation and racial discrimination,



...



Desiring to implement the principles embodied in the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and to secure the earliest adoption of practical measures to that end,



Have agreed as follows:

PART I

Article 1


1. In this Convention, the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.


....


4. Special measures taken for the sole purpose of securing adequate advancement of certain racial or ethnic groups or individuals requiring such protection as may be necessary in order to ensure such groups or individuals equal enjoyment or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms shall not be deemed racial discrimination, provided, however, that such measures do not, as a consequence, lead to the maintenance of separate rights for different racial groups and that they shall not be continued after the objectives for which they were taken have been achieved.



Article 2


1. States Parties condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all races, and, to this end:

(a) Each State Party undertakes to engage in no act or practice of racial discrimination against persons, groups of persons or institutions and to en sure that all public authorities and public institutions, national and local, shall act in conformity with this obligation;


(b) Each State Party undertakes not to sponsor, defend or support racial discrimination by any persons or organizations;


(c) Each State Party shall take effective measures to review governmental, national and local policies, and to amend, rescind or nullify any laws and regulations which have the effect of creating or perpetuating racial discrimination wherever it exists;


(d) Each State Party shall prohibit and bring to an end, by all appropriate means, including legislation as required by circumstances, racial discrimination by any persons, group or organization;


(e) Each State Party undertakes to encourage, where appropriate, integrationist multiracial organizations and movements and other means of eliminating barriers between races, and to discourage anything which tends to strengthen racial division.



2. States Parties shall, when the circumstances so warrant, take, in the social, economic, cultural and other fields, special and concrete measures to ensure the adequate development and protection of certain racial groups or individuals belonging to them, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. These measures shall in no case en tail as a con sequence the maintenance of unequal or separate rights for different racial groups after the objectives for which they were taken have been achieved.



Article 3


States Parties particularly condemn racial segregation and apartheid and undertake to prevent, prohibit and eradicate all practices of this nature in territories under their jurisdiction.



Article 4


States Parties condemn all propaganda and all organizations which are based on ideas or theories of superiority of one race or group of persons of one colour or ethnic origin, or which attempt to justify or promote racial hatred and discrimination in any form, and undertake to adopt immediate and positive measures designed to eradicate all incitement to, or acts of, such discrimination and, to this end, with due regard to the principles embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rights expressly set forth in article 5 of this Convention, inter alia:



(a) Shall declare an offence punishable by law all dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, incitement to racial discrimination, as well as all acts of violence or incitement to such acts against any race or group of persons of another colour or ethnic origin, and also the provision of any assistance to racist activities, including the financing thereof;


(b) Shall declare illegal and prohibit organizations, and also organized and all other propaganda activities, which promote and incite racial discrimination, and shall recognize participation in such organizations or activities as an offence punishable by law;


(c) Shall not permit public authorities or public institutions, national or local, to promote or incite racial discrimination.



Article 5


In compliance with the fundamental obligations laid down in article 2 of this Convention, States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, notably in the enjoyment of the following rights:



(a) The right to equal treatment before the tribunals and all other organs administering justice;


(b) The right to security of person and protection by the State against violence or bodily harm, whether inflicted by government officials or by any individual group or institution;


(c) Political rights, in particular the right to participate in elections-to vote and to stand for election-on the basis of universal and equal suffrage, to take part in the Government as well as in the conduct of public affairs at any level and to have equal access to public service;


(d) Other civil rights, in particular:



(i) The right to freedom of movement and residence within the border of the State;


(ii) The right to leave any country, including one's own, and to return to one's country;


(iii) The right to nationality;


(iv) The right to marriage and choice of spouse;


(v) The right to own property alone as well as in association with others;


(vi) The right to inherit;


(vii) The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion;


(viii) The right to freedom of opinion and expression;


(ix) The right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association;



(e) Economic, social and cultural rights, in particular:



(i) The rights to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work, to protection against unemployment, to equal pay for equal work, to just and favourable remuneration;


(ii) The right to form and join trade unions;


(iii) The right to housing;


(iv) The right to public health, medical care, social security and social services;


(v) The right to education and training;


(vi) The right to equal participation in cultural activities;


(f) The right of access to any place or service intended for use by the general public, such as transport hotels, restaurants, cafes, theatres and parks.



Article 6


States Parties shall assure to everyone within their jurisdiction effective protection and remedies, through the competent national tribunals and other State institutions, against any acts of racial discrimination which violate his human rights and fundamental freedoms contrary to this Convention, as well as the right to seek from such tribunals just and adequate reparation or satisfaction for any damage suffered as a result of such discrimination.



Article 7


States Parties undertake to adopt immediate and effective measures, particularly in the fields of teaching, education, culture and information, with a view to combating prejudices which lead to racial discrimination and to promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship among nations and racial or ethnical groups, as well as to propagating the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and this Convention."


MIS