Nazri Calls For Anti Racism Laws To Preserve Harmony

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Padang Rengas MP Nazri Aziz pointed out that even the UK has enacted a Race Relations Act. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: There is a need for anti-racism laws to serve as an “instrument” to preserve unity among Malaysians, Nazri Aziz (BN-Padang Rengas) said today in the Dewan Rakyat.
“Malaysia is a country with many races and religions. Some say that if we are enacting laws on racial matters, it shows that we are not united. I say no, we need laws to help curb any form of racism,” the former law minister said in debating a bill to amend the Trade Unions Act.
The bill seeks to amend Section 34(2) of the Act which involves the registration of unions, swapping the word “undesirable” with the phrase “those that promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races, religions and nationality”.
Currently, the Act states that the director-general of trade unions can refuse to register a union if he found it to be “undesirable”.
Nazri supported the amendment, saying “undesirable” was too wide and that the change in wording would help protect racial sensitivities.
While noting it was impossible to eradicate racism as a whole, he said even countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States had struggled with this issue.
“Even the UK has enacted the Race Relations Act. Why? Because it was once a country that was homogenous but is multicultural now and racial issues arise there.
“So, I agree with any laws that can curb racism, we need to have these laws,” Nazri said, adding that Malaysia needed to admit racism was a problem and take action to curb it.
“For as long as it exists, it will be hard for us to move forward and unite.” - FMT

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